I let out a loud squeak of surprise at a loud noise. I glare as I find Dean tapping on the car window. I unbuckle and push the door open, yawning.

"This the place where you're gonna dump my body?" I tease bitterly.

"Well, good morning to you too, sunshine," Dean retorts. "We're here."

I stretch, feeling uncomfortable and buggy in my Homecoming dress. I still have the jacket that Dean lent me over my shoulders. I pull it tighter around me when I realize it's a few degrees too cold. "W-where are we?"

"Lebanon, Kansas. Come on, kiddo."

Great, I've been moved out of state. That's not concerning. I haven't really travelled a lot of places, not even for vacation. Being outside of Colorado makes me very wary.

I follow behind Dean, keeping my distance. We walk down a hidden small thing of steps in the ground, and we pass through two doors before we're truly inside this so-called bunker.

A lair indeed. I stand at the top of the steps, glancing down. There look to be two rooms: the one further from me is a library, with shelves full of books, and a table with a few lamps and chairs. The room closest to me...I'm not quite sure what it is. It's got a table that has a map on it, with chairs around it.

"You can follow us," Dean says, as he, Sam, and Cas are at the bottom of the stairs.

"Nah, I'm good up here." I lean over the railing.

"You can't get far if you don't have the keys." Dean holds those out and jiggles them.

I frown. "I wasn't planning on stealing the car."

"Damn right you weren't. If you want answers, you gotta come down here."

I groan and take my time down the steps. I almost fall with a misstep, to which Dean rolls his eyes at me. I feel even smaller when I get down the last step. I follow the three into the library.

"Okay, you said you'd talk when we're at the bunker. We're here," I say. "Start talking."

"What do you want to know?" asks Cas.

"Everything." I pull off Dean's jacket and put it around the nearest chair. "What you are, what you guys really are and what you do. What the hell happened back at Homecoming. All of it." I cross my arms.

"You sure you wanna know?" asks Sam.

"What, think I can't handle the truth?"

"Well, considering your performance at the school, I'm leaning towards no," says Dean.

"What happened at the school, it," Sam hesitates, "it was a demon attack. A small group of them."

"Demons, huh?" I ask, unamused.

Sam looks at me funny. "We were hunting leads on them, and they led us to your school."

"So, what? You snuck in to snuff out demons? You sure you guys didn't secretly spike the drinks?"

Dean rolls his eyes, rubbing his face. "You'd wish we had. You saw what happened in the classroom. You got tossed around, and I'll bet money the demon showed you its eyes."

I lick my lips. My mind goes back to the pitch black holes that I saw in Marley and Cole. Or what wasn't them, I guess. I think back to how inhumanly strong they had been, how Not-Cole had put me against the whiteboard, and I remained there until whatever held me was broken. I look to Cas nervously. "You a pet demon to these guys?"

"No," says Cas. "I'm an angel."

I snort. "Why didn't I guess that?"

Cas looks at me critically. "It's the truth."

I rub my temples. "It's just not real. Demons and angels? Come on! That's myth!"

"It's real. Most humans fail to realize it because we hide well."

"If that's the case, then you failed at that job, because apparently those two know." I gesture to Sam and Dean. "And I'll bet everyone at the school—"

"They won't be able to explain what happened," says Sam.

"And you guys can?"

"Yes," says Cas.

"You said...demons...were after me." I finger the necklace I've got on. "Why?"

"We aren't entirely sure yet. Until we are, you have to stay hidden."

"Oh, because I'm sure you say that to all the people hunted by supernatural myths. If that were true, then how come it's just you three?"

"This isn't like our other cases," says Dean. "We know demons like to go after people for sport, or for some sick fun, but this was a hit. We can't let you go back out there, you'll be a sitting duck."

"I can't stay," I snap. "I've got my mom to get back to! And yes," I cut Cas off before he gets a word in, "I know, it'd put her in more danger. But I don't believe that for a second."

"Because you don't fully understand what's at stake," says Cas.

"You guys aren't mythical creatures, are you?" I ask Sam and Dean.

"No, we're hunters," says Dean. "We hunt the ghouls and ghosts of the world. You know, the things people like you think are 'mythical'."

I roll my eyes. "At some point, I'll wake up. Maybe when I go to sleep, I'll wake up back home."

"Oh, if only. You're not going back home for some time, kiddo."

"I have a name."

"Oh, do you?"

I glare at him. "It's Willa, if you ever cared to know." I rub my arms. "You guys got a bathroom I can use? I need to change."

"Um, yeah," says Sam. "I'll help you find one."

"Thanks."

I follow Sam into a hallway, and I'm amazed at how long it takes us to find a bathroom. The halls are full of closed doors, some open just a crack. We pass the kitchen, which I'm very eager to look into. I haven't had anything to eat since last night.

"I'll try and find you something so you don't have to wear the dress," says Sam once we find a bathroom.

"Thanks."

"Oh, Willa?"

"Yeah?"

"I know it's a lot to take in, but I promise you, this is the right choice. We wouldn't do this if we didn't think it was a good idea."

Not so sure about that.

On that awkward note, I shut the door, strip down, and turn on the hot water. I let it drench me, and I find myself sitting in a corner, letting the water get in my eyes, on my lashes. Marley and Cole were possessed? Is Cole dead? Marley's gonna be fine. Will she remember what happened? What will they do about Homecoming, have a do-over? I don't think that's gonna matter to me anymore.

I curl tighter into a ball when I hear the door briefly open and close. Sam probably pulled through with some clothes. He seems to be the nicest.

I rub the back of my neck, afraid to step out of the shower. Leaving the bathroom means I'm embracing a world that I never knew existed. By staying in this place, I accept what's happened and what I've been told. I'm not sure I can do that. That means that I accept that creatures exist, like demons and (apparently) angels. I accept that, for some reason, demons were—or are, who knows—after me. I'm not sure what makes me so special.

What have I done to offend demons?

Eventually, the water becomes too cold to tolerate, and I shut it off. The clothes I don are way oversized, but I guess since I didn't see any other girls in the bunker, it's just the three guys. Odds are clothes I'll be borrowing will be huge on me.

Instead of flannel, I find myself in a big t-shirt and sweatpants. Definitely fitting, because I can totally use something comfy right about now. My hair soaks through the shirt as I leave, letting the rest of the steam out with me.

I hear voices bounce off the walls. I can just make out the words.

"So we have no clue why they're after her?" asks Sam.

"No." That's Cas. "We have some work ahead of us. Like Dean said, normally demons terrorize for fun or for sport. This is different. There's something about Willa that makes them see her as a threat."

Dean scoffs. "A threat? The kid's in high school!"

I start to try and find my way back to the kitchen. Problem is, a once-through isn't enough for me to memorize the path. I'm just winging it, then. I keep my ears tuned to the conversation that, thanks to the halls, reaches me.

"You think this is a small group, or do you think Hell has beef with her?" That's Dean.

"Again, unsure," says Cas. "All we can do right now is speculate until we find more information. For now, she must stay here."

"Oh, don't worry, I doubt the kid will want to leave, even if we're just strangers to her."

When that conversation is out of earshot, I become easily frustrated with not finding the kitchen. The feeling continues to build. I'm not just frustrated at this labyrinth of a bunker. I'm irritated that my boyfriend got possessed, as did my best friend. I'm pissed, because I can't have a way to let Mom know I'm okay. She's probably worried sick about me...

My destination of the kitchen gets rerouted. I slump against the nearest wall, push my head into my knees, and tremble. As my eyes close, I see flickers of Cole and Marley, both possessed. My throat faintly throbs where Not-Marley had tried to strangle me.

"Willa?" It's Cas. I don't pull my head up. "What's wrong?"

"I don't belong here," I moan, my voice muffled. "I didn't ask for this!"

"I know." I feel his presence beside me. Actually, I feel him sitting beside me, against the wall. "This is scary. This is strange."

"I can't be here forever, Cas. I have a life outside of this bunker. I'm in high school. I'm only sixteen!"

"We aren't doing this to punish you, Willa. You've done nothing wrong. You're unfortunately caught up in something you shouldn't be in. I'm sorry."

"Please figure this out." Finally, I raise my head, staring at the wall across from us. "Please, so I can go home."

"Even if we do solve this, I'm...I don't know what will happen. The future is uncertain, ever moving, ever changing. What we can do is take it one day at a time. Now, you being here on the floor isn't the best way to get comfortable. Where were you going?"

"I was looking for the kitchen," I say shyly. "Kind of hard to find it, you know, with all the doors."

"It can get confusing." Out of the corner of my eye, I see his hand go for my shoulder, but he retracts it at the last second. "Follow me." Cas rises, offering me a hand. I don't take it, using the wall to get myself up off the floor.

I find myself walking beside Cas, and he leads me in the right direction. I follow him inside, and he starts going through the cabinets and the fridge. Silently, I plop myself near the table, in a chair.

"Cereal work okay?" he asks.

"Um, yeah, sure." I pick at my nails.

"I'm sorry we can't really accommodate you, we're usually the only occupants here. It's mostly Sam and Dean."

"I gathered as much."

"You'll be safe here, if you're worried. I've known Sam and Dean for many years. They're the best hunters I know. They save people and go to incredible lengths to do so. Sometimes they're stupid lengths. They have a bad habit of putting themselves into danger."

"Wouldn't that be required for their job?"

Cas pulls out a box of cereal and sets it on the table. He goes through more cabinets to fetch a bowl and spoon. He hands me the bowl. "Milk?"

I shake my head. "I eat my cereal dry." As I'm pouring myself cereal, I hear more feet enter the kitchen. I look over my shoulder to find Sam and Dean stopped. "Uh, can you not stare like that?" I ask a bit defensively. "It's like you've never seen a kid before."

"Who eats their cereal dry?" Dean says in disgust.

"Um, I do, you weirdo."

"Takes one to know one. Who raised you?"

"My mom, thanks. And no, she didn't teach me this eating habit."

"Don't mind him," Sam tells me. "He has no room to talk. He's got some weird habits too."

"Says the guy who eats rabbit food all the time," Dean quips. "Cas help you find the kitchen okay?"

I nod. "You guys need to invest in a map or a directory for newcomers."

"Sure, when we get the free time, we'll work on it."

I roll my eyes. Dean's level of sass and sarcasm can rival a high school girl's.

"I'll look into a room for you, there's plenty vacant," Sam tells me. "Lot of rooms, lot of bathrooms. You'll be able to have your own space."

"Thanks." I offer a tired smile.

I'm still frustrated. Still tired. Hungry, despite eating cereal. Right now, I'm all out of whack. I'm in supposed danger. I'm in a strange place, with people I just met last night, who claim I'll be safe here. When I get my room assigned I won't sleep, because it won't be my room.

This is gonna be rough.