01. rougarou rendzvous

༶•┈┈⛧┈♛

ONE YEAR LATER

ANDY WAS HUNGOVER. AGAIN. Her eyes stung from the bar lights and she could hear them ringing. Groaning, she put her forehead to the cold wood bar. Ruthie's had yet to open for the day, so at least she got a moment of peace.

Natalie sat next to hear. Andy caught a whiff of coffee. She felt her friend's hand pat her shoulder. "Morning, sunshine."

"Kill me. Please." Andy carefully lifted her head, eyes squinting in the light.

"Not a chance," Natalie laughed and slid her a mug of coffee. "Who else will I nurse back to health?"

Andy took the mug greatfully, holding the warmth between her palms. She sighed and smiled. "Maybe any other Hunter that frequents this bar?"

Natalie rolled her eyes and sipped on her own mug. "I'm gonna have to start cutting you off. I'm worried, Andy. You never drink this much."

Annoyance flooded Andy's head, immediately followed by regret. Natalie meant well and was the only person who ever bothered to ask her those questions. She shook her head then took a long sip of the hot coffee. "You want the truth?"

Natalie nodded. "Of course."

Andy took a deep breath. "My sister called. Two nights ago."

"Shit..." Natalie's eyes widened. "Why?"

"Something about my brother. I don't know. I blacked out and hung up. She called again last night but I didn't pick up." She took another big swig of coffee. She wished it was so hot it would burn her throat.

"That's...big," Natalie stood up. "But no reason to kill your liver."

Andy rolled her eyes. "No offence, Nat, but I'm not really in the mood for a lecture."

"Relax. I'm not giving you one. I just think your anger would be better used on a job rather than a drink." She finished the remaining liquid in her mug and gestured to Andy's.

Taking the hint, Andy drank the rest of her coffee and handed it to her. Natalie was right. She always was. So, she took out her phone and began sifting through her voicemails. They were mostly junk and telemarketers. But then she reached a name she hadn't seen for some time.

Travis.

She clicked it and listened.

"Hey, Andromeda. I know it's been a while, but there's a job I could use your expertise on. A Rougarou. I'm Carthage, Missouri if you're interested."

The creature he named sounded familiar to her. A Rougarou. She knew her father had helped Travis with a job in 1978, maybe it was one of those?

"Hey, Nat?"

Natalie poked her head out from the kitchen. "Yeah?"

"Ever heard of a Rougarou before? Travis called about one."

Natalie's eyes widened. "A Rougarou? That's nasty business. You should probably help the old man out. He isn't what he used to be."

Andy nodded with a chuckle. "Agreed." She stood and cracked her neck. "Have a drink waiting for me when I get back?"

"For you? Always." Natalie smiled.

  EVERY WINDOW OF THE Beetle was down as Pat Benatar's 'Love is a Battlefield' blasted through the speakers. Andy nodded along, mouthing the words and banging on the steering wheel as though it were a drum kit.

Through the windshield, a large sign welcomed her to Carthage, Missouri. Andy reached into the cuphold to grab her phone. She dialed Travis's number. It only took a couple rings before he picked up.

"Hello?"

"Hey, Travis. It's Andromeda. I just got to town. Where can we meet?"

"Ah, yes. There's a small diner, kind of a shit hole. Hard to miss."

Andy chuckled. "Gotcha. See you in a few."

Carthage was quiet and unsuspecting. The typical hideout for all kinds of monsters. Andy eyed the civilians as she drove past, just in case. Eventually, she found the diner Travis was talking about. The paint on the side panelling was chipping and any visible piece of metal was rusted. A shit hole if she ever saw one.

She pulled into the parking lot, eyes catching the old man in a cast standing next to his Camry. She parked beside him and got out. "Hey, Travis. Long time no see!"

They hugged.

Travis took a moment to look at her with a soft smile. "You've grown. I'm pretty sure you had braces the last time we met."

Andy laughed at the image of her at fifteen with pimples and braces. "Haven't had those for a while. I don't miss them."

"How's the family?" He asked.

Andy tried her best to act casually as her smile faltered. "Good...everyone is good."

Travis didn't seem to catch it, or if he did he didn't say anything. "I'm glad. But, to business, shall we?" Andy nodded. Travis led her to his trunk. He lifted it, revealing newspaper clippings and maps. "I've been tracking this Rougarou for a while now. You're father and I dealt with its daddy back in '78."

"They can reproduce?" Andy asked as she took in every detail of the papers.

"Oh, yeah. Rougarou's are just like humans...until they get a taste of our flesh and become abominations."

Andy nodded. "Do we have a name?"

"Jack Montgomery."

"Do we have an address? Cause I can swing by and scope things out." Andy turned her attention back to Travis.

He shook is head slightly. "Just a moment. There's some fellas I'd like you to meet first."

Andy tilted her head. "What do you mean?"

"You weren't the only one I contacted about this job. I called the Winchester boys." Travis clarified.

Winchester. Andy knew that name. John Winchester was a 'friend' of her parents. She had met him. His boys, however, she never had the pleasure. And if they were anything like their father, she wasn't sure she wanted it. But she had no choice.

"Didn't trust me to follow through?" She partially joked.

Travis let out an airy laugh. "I always have backups." Andy rolled her eyes with a small smile. "Speaking of the Winchesters, we should get to the motel and meet em'."

"Lead the way."

  ANDY FOLLOWED BEHIND TRAVIS'S Camry until they reached the motel with a flickering neon 'Vacancy' sign. They parked and headed up to a room door. Travis pulled out a credit card and began fiddling with the lock.

Andy watched him pick it curiously. "We're breaking in?"

"A surprise. They'll find it amusing, trust me." He laughed and with a couple more jigs of the door handle, unlocked it. He stepped aside. "Ladies first."

"Oh, fuck off." Andy laughed and rolled her eyes, walking past him, but not without getting in a solid punch to his unbroken arm.

Travis locked the door behind them and flicked the lights on in the rustic motel room. Andy took a look around at the guns and weapons that were spread out on both beds. They had all the right tools. It was good to know the Winchesters weren't incompetent Hunters.

Travis grabbed two beers from inside the fridge and handed one to Andy before sitting at the small table. "Cheers."

"Cheers." She smiled and popped the cap off, taking a sip. She cringed slightly. It was cheap beer. But beer was beer and Andy drank it regardless.

By the time she finished it, the Winchesters still hadn't shown. She tossed the empty bottle in the recycle and sighed. "I'll be in the bathroom. Holler if they come." Travis nodded to her silently.

Andy locked the bathroom door behind her then turned to face the mirror. She turned the sink on, letting the water get as cold as possible before splashing it in her face. She stood there, staring at her pale skin and baggy under-eyes. She could hear her father's voice, "You're letting yourself go. A Hunter should always be in perfect health."

She gritted her teeth and looked down. Over the running water she heard the front door open and muffled voices. Andy heard Travis's excitable voice and then a knock on the bathroom door. She jumped slightly.

Andy unlocked the door and stepped out. Her eyes first found the tallest man. He had longer hair and a kind face. He smiled at her. Then she glanced at the other one and she swore her heart stopped. It was him. The guy from Ruthie's last year.

Travis patted her softly on the back. "Andromeda, this is Sam and Dean Winchester."

Dean Winchester. She had sex with Dean fucking Winchester. He seemed just as shocked as she was to see her.

Sam stepped forward and offered his hand. "Hi. It's nice to meet you."

He snapped Andy out of whatever trance his brother put her in. She blinked twice before shaking his hand. "Hey."

Sam looked between her and Dean, raising his brow as if to say, you know each other?

Dean coughed and ran a hand through his hair. He nodded, greeting her silently. Clearly, they both weren't expecting to ever see each other again.

Travis cleared his throat. "Well, thank you, boys. For helping out an old man. I'm a little short-handed." He raised his cast.

Andy rolled her eyes and laughed. Sam chuckled as well. Travis led them all to the table. Andy could see Dean flickering his eyes between her and his hands. "You track down Montgomery?" Travis asked.

"Yeah, we found him at his home." Sam replied.

Andy straightened her back. "And?"

Dean's eyes shot to hers. He swallowed hard before looking at Travis. "He had a hell of a case of the munchies. Topped off with a burger he forgot to cook."

Andy scrunched up her nose in disgust at the thought of eating raw ground beef.

Travis nodded, pleased. "That's him, all right."

"So...what are...Rougarou's, exactly?" Sam tilted his head.

"They're mean, nasty little fuckers," Travis sighed. "Rotted teeth, wormy skin...the works."

Dean's brow furrowed. "Well, that ain't this guy. He was wearing a cell phone on his belt." He chuckled.

"He'll turn ugly soon enough," Travis reassured. "They start out human for all intents and purposes."

"They go through some kind of metamorphosis?" Sam questioned.

"Yup. Like a maggot turning into a blowfly. But most of all, they're hungry."

"Hungry for what?" Dean asked, concerned.

"At first, everything," Travis explained. "But then for long pig."

Dean looked at him confused. "Long pig?"

"Human flesh." Andy piped up with a small smirk.

Dean narrowed his eyes slightly but nodded. "And that's my word of the day."

"Hunger grows until they can't fight it," Travis scoffed. "Until they gotta take themselves a big, juicy chomp, and then it happens."

"What happens?" Sam asked.

"They transform completely, and fast. One bite's all it takes. Eyes, teeth, skin all turns. No going back either. They feed once, they're a monster forever."

Travis's words sent a shiver down Andy's spine. She knew this about Rougarou's. But how final it sounded, it was chilling. She couldn't imagine the feeling of the monster laying dormant until that fateful day. Did the Rougarou know once it changed what it was? Was the human still in there? She knew it was silly to ask those questions, it's not like she'd ever find out.

"Jack's headed there on a bullet train," Travis concluded.

"Well, how'd you find this guy," Dean questioned. "If he's a walking, talking human?"

Travis sighed. "It runs in his family. Killed his daddy back in '78, along with this one's papa. Son of a bitch mangled eight bodies before we put him down." He nudged Andy playfully. She laughed and shook her head. "That's why I called her."

"Sorry, boys. You're second choice." Andy grinned at the brothers. Dean smirked at her.

"The guy used to be a dentist. Cadilac. Trophy wife. Little did I know, pregnant trophy wife. She put the boy up for adoption." Travis frowned. "By the time I found out, he was long gone, lost in the system."

Sam laughed. "You mean to tell me you couldn't find someone?"

Travis smiled but sighed. "I'm not sure I wanted to. The idea of hunting down some poor kid...I don't think I had the heart. No. I wanted to wait. Make sure I had the right man." He looked between the brothers. "Apparently I do."

Andy cleared her throat, grabbing the attention of the men. "So...how do we kill em'? My dad didn't exactly give details of your escapades."

"With fire," Travis said, then took a sip of beer. "Nothing else works. I got the tools to make a nifty flame-thrower in my trunk."

"What are we waiting for? Let's get started." Dean clapped and stood.

ANDY, DEAN, AND TRAVIS worked on building the flame-throwers. The men chatted and caught up with each other while Andy was silent in focus. She could see Dean looking at her every now and again through her peripherals. It took much more willpower than she would like to admit to keep herself from looking back at him. She cursed herself. This was the consequences of sleeping with another Hunter. She thought she got off easy, but her mistakes always find a way to come back and bite her in the ass.

Sam had returned from his outing to the library. He watched the three of them building wearily. "Not wasting any time, are you?"

"None to waste," Travis said, looking up from his work. "When the guy hulks out, we won't be finding bodies, just remains.

Sam sat down next to Andy slowly. "Well...what if he doesn't hulk out?" The three of them raised a brow at him. Andy stopped working altogether to hear what he had to say. "I did a little homework. I've been checking out the lore on Rougarous."

Travis scoffed lightly. "What? My thirty years of experience not good enough for you?"

"What?" Sam laughed nervously. "No, no. I just want to be prepared. I mean not that you didn't-"

"Sam loves research," Dean piped up, stopping his brother from digging his grave even further. "He does. He keeps it under his mattress right next to his K-Y." Andy laughed quietly. She had to admit, she liked Sam. Dean smiled. "It's a sickness. It is."

Sam rolled his eyes with an unwilling smile. "Look, everything you said checked out, of course. But I found a couple of interesting stories about people who have this Rougarou gene or whatever. See, they start to turn, but they never take the final step."

"Really?" Dean and Andy spoke at the same time. Andy's face flushed under his gaze. She coughed and turned her attention back to Sam.

"See, if they never eat human flesh...they don't fully transform."

Dean raised a brow. "So...what? Go vegan, stay human?"

"Basically," Sam shrugged. "Or in this case, eat a lot of raw meat, just not-"

"Long pig!" Dean perked up. Andy rolled her eyes at his enjoyment of the term.

Sam nodded. "Right."

They brothers looked to Travis. Andy did so as well but with less hopefulness in her eyes. She knew Travis better than the Winchesters. He was a pure-blooded Hunter. There was no way on God's Green Earth that he would let a Rougarou or any monster for that matter, go free if there was any possibility innocent humans would be hurt.

"Good on you for the due diligence, Sam," He smiled sadly and stood. "But those are fairy tales. The fact is, every Rougarou I ever saw or heard of took that bite." He crossed the room to fill his coffee mug.

Sam stood and walked after him. "Okay, well, that doesn't mean Jack will."

Dean stood along side his brother, disapproval in his eyes. Andy stayed seated and crossed her arms over her chest.

"So, what do we do? Sit and hope, and wait for a body count?" Travis' words were condescending.

"No, we talk to him. Explain what's happening." Sam answered.

Andy frowned. Sam truly believed Jack could be saved from his monsterous tendencies. In fact, he was a little too adamant about it. She wondered if something was going on that she wasn't privy to.

"No offence, Sam, but wouldn't that just freak the guy out?" Andy spoke up. The tallest Winchester looked back at her with a frown, but determination in his eyes. "Telling regular people about our line of work never goes over very well. Imagine if we told someone they were a monster? Would you listen?"

"She has a point, boy." Travis said.

Sam's frown deepened. "But if we explained it, he could fight it."

Travis laughed. "Fight it? Are you kidding me?" He narrowed his eyes. "Have you ever been really hungry? I mean, haven't-eaten-in-days hungry?"

"Yeah." Dean responded immediately.

Travis nodded. "Right, then. So, somebody slaps a big, juicy sirloin in front of you, you walking away?" Dean tilted his head, considering. Travis continued. "That's what we are to him now. Meat on legs." He looked at Sam, who had lowered his head. "I'm sorry. I'm sure he's a stand-up guy. But it's pure, base instinct. Everything in nature's gotta eat. You think he can stop himself because he's nice?

"I don't know. But we're not gonna kill him unless he does something to get killed for." Sam spoke with conviction. Andy eyed him curiously as he stormed out of the front door.

Travis looked curiously at Dean. "What's up with your brother?"

Dean cocked his head with a sigh. "Don't get me started."

Andy stood up. She wanted to talk to Sam. She ignored Dean's look as she walked passed him and out of the motel room. She found Sam leaning against what was most likely their car. A '67 Chevy Impala. She smiled as she approached. "Nice car."

Sam smiled and chuckled softly. "Thanks. It was our dad's."

Andy joined him in leaning against the vehicle with crossed arms. "You alright? You were very... passionate in there."

Sam shrugged. "It's a long story."

"Does it involve the Gate to Hell opening?" She quirked a brow. Sam looked at her with surprise. "What? I hear things. Hunter's talk. Some say you opened it."

"I didn't."

Andy laughed at his offended tone. "Don't worry, I don't believe them, especially after meeting you."

"What does that mean?" Sam tilted his head.

"Simple. You're nice. I've never met a Hunter so passionate about saving the humanity of monsters."

Sam was slightly taken aback. "Thank you, Andromeda."

She laughed. "Call me Andy, please."

"Sammy!"

Andy's head snapped to Dean, who was heading towards them. He eyed Andy with slight suspicion. "Everything alright?" Sam nodded silently. "Good, good. Let's get going, then."

"What?" Sam stood straight as Dean patted the hood of the Impala.

"We're gonna talk to Jack Montgomery. That is what you wanted, right?"

Sam nodded furiously. "Yes."

"Then, let's go." Dean rolled his eyes with a slight smile. As Sam rushed to the passenger seat, Dean put his attention on Andy. "You stay here and help Travis."

Andy furrowed her brows. "You don't tell me to do shit. I'm coming with you boys."

"No, you're not." Dean put his hands on his hips.

Andy rolled her eyes. "Travis invited me on this hunt first. I want to know what we're dealing with."

Sam quickly got out of the car and opened the back door. "Come on, Dean. We could use a fresh pair of eyes." He stepped aside to let Andy in, who happily did so.

"No, we don't." Dean mumbled as he got into the driver's seat and started the car. The Impala rolled out of the motel parking lot and onto the roads of Carthage.

AUTHORS NOTE

Okay, first of all, sorry this took so long! But ugh was this so much fun to write! I was fully planning on putting the whole episode (s4ep4) in this chapter but shit just got so long, so I'm gonna finish it off in the next one. I wrote 3200+ words! That's crazy! I've been in a writing slump since December and it just felt soooo good to write again.

Anyway, some small things to address, not even plural just one thing. I got so tired of typing out 'Andromeda' so I'm using her nickname to write cause fuck it I do what I want.

But how did y'all feel about this chapter? Even though I big chunk of it was show dialogue, I still managed to put my own stuff in. I especially love her conversation with Sam. I found it cute for her to bring up the Gate to Hell from the end of season 2 cause that would honestly be the only thing she would have heard about the Winchesters and Sam himself. Cause I don't think (correct me if I'm wrong) that other Hunters besides Jo and Ellen knew about Lilith and the demons coming after the guys.

But anyway, thank you for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.