CHAPTER TWO —THE WOMAN IN WHITE
pilot — part one

"No chick-flick moments." — dean winchester

AFTER FINISHING UP AT THE LIBRARY, THE WINCHESTER BROTHERS HEADED STRAIGHT FOR SYLVANIA BRIDGE. It was where Constance had taken her own life and where Troy vanished without a trace apart from his blood soaked car. JJ always felt slightly like Sherlock Holmes when they went out looking for clues; all he needed was a deerstalker and a pipe and he was set. Not that JJ would smoke, as someone interested in medicine, he knew the extent of what it could do to the body. But still, he didn't have a deerstalker. Yet.

The trio left the Impala at one end of the bridge and then began their walk across the metal. Troy's car must've been towed away some point during the day as it was no longer there when they arrived. As they reached the cold, metal railing, the brothers came to a halt. They stared down at the choppy river below that had claimed Constance Welch's life. "So this was where Constance took the swan dive?"

"So you think Dad would've been here?" Sam pondered and then looked over to his two brothers. 

JJ sighed, his gaze still fixed on the erratic movements of the waves beneath. It was almost hypnotic. "Well, if Dad was on this case then he would have found that article and come here." The middle Winchester theorised before finally tearing his gaze from the river. "Just like we did. But that doesn't tell us where he went next."

Withdrawing from the railing, Dean continued to walk across the bridge which just made JJ and Sam follow after him. It probably wasn't the best idea for them to be hanging around the place where Constance Welch — their suspected supernatural killer — died after someone vanished from there just a day or so prior. But when did Winchesters ever care about was a good idea. Their whole lives were consisted of mainly bad ideas, bloody bandages and alcohol. 

"Okay, so now what?"

"Now we keep digging until we find him." Stated Dean. JJ came to a halt and gave his brother a knowing look, so Dean admitted with a sigh. "Might take a while."

Sam then also came to a stop. "Dean, I told you and JJ, I've gotta be back by Monday—"

"Monday." He echoed before he whipped around to face Sam. The look on his face said it all and JJ quickly placed himself on edge, ready to defend his twin if needs be. He was still pissed at Sam, sure, but he wasn't just going to sit back and watch Dean tear him apart. "Right. The interview. Yeah, I forgot. You're really serious about this, aren't you? You think you're just going to become some lawyer? Marry your girl?"

JJ just stared down at his feet as what Dean was talking about, it was the very thing he wanted too. He wanted out of the life. He wanted to become a Doctor. Maybe find someone who could love him one day. Why shouldn't they have that? JJ knew Dean was worried about them, but he shouldn't try and take away their chances to be normal. That just made him sound like Dad.

"Maybe." Shrugged Sam. "Why not?"

"Does Jessica know the truth about you?" Dean questioned instead. "I mean, does she know about the things you've done?"

Sam stepped closer and glared at Dean. "No, and she's not ever going to know."

"Well, that's healthy." Dean remarked sarcastically. "You can pretend all you want, Sammy." JJ stiffened when the eldest of the three didn't mention him, meaning he had no idea how JJ truly felt. "But sooner or later you're going to have to face up to who you really are."

"And who's that?"

"You're one of us." Meaning he was a hunter. But JJ didn't want to be a hunter neither.

The youngest Winchester hurried in front of Dean, cutting him off. Sam scoffed. "No. I'm not like you. JJ's not like you." Dean cast a glance to JJ who was looking away from the awkwardness. Sam was right though, and they all knew it. "This is not going to be my life."

"You have a responsibility to—" 

"Dean." Warned JJ, glancing back to his brothers to give the eldest a look. 

But before he could say anymore, Sam cut in. "To Dad? And his crusade? If it weren't for pictures, me and JJ wouldn't even know what Mom looks like." He was right. The twins had only seen their Mother in pictures and John didn't carry many of those. Or ones he let them look at anyhow. "And what difference would it make? Even if we do find the thing that killed her, Mom's gone. And she isn't coming back?"

Before either of the twins could do a thing, Dean surged forwards and grabbed Sam by the collar. He shoved him harshly against the metal railing of the bridge at the mention of their late Mother. It took JJ a moment to recover from his state of alarm to jump in and pry Dean from their brother. Somehow he managed to get the larger and stronger brother off the youngest and JJ shoved him back before putting himself between the two of them.

"Dean! You cannot go around doing that!" He yelled. Both brothers stared at JJ in shock as he stood his ground. Dean wasn't used to JJ arguing back at him and Sam didn't expect JJ to defend him. "Sam's right." Before a word could escape Dean's mouth, JJ continued. "This whole thing about us being hunters just because Dad is, is a load of crap. WE should get to decide what to do with our lives, they shouldn't be already written for us. So if Sam wants to be a lawyer, he should be a lawyer. And if—" JJ stopped himself before he could say it. "Well, we should be helping him, not tearing his hopes down." 

Sam stared at his older twin with absolute awe as he spoke those words. The harsh glare he was sending Dean made him back down and he took step back away from Sam. Then, he grumbled. "He shouldn't talk about Mom, like that though." JJ's look just intensified so Dean raised up his hands in surrender. "Fine, I'm sorry." He addressed Sam and then turned back to JJ. "You happy?"

"Very." Grinned JJ.

"Thank you." Sam smiled gratefully and JJ just nodded. Okay, so maybe he had forgiven Sam just a little, but he still had a way to go.

Whilst the twins were exchanging a non-verbal conversation, Dean spotted Constance standing upon the bridge's ledge. "Sam, JJ." The brothers all cast their eyes in the same direction to find Constance Welch standing there with her dirty white dress draping her form. Dark waves flowed down across her shoulders but never made an attempt to mask her beautiful face from them. JJ froze at the sight of her. Then she stepped off the ledge. 

They sprinted to the railing, only to find, once they looked over, that Constance Welch was nowhere to be found. Typical spirit behaviour. 

"Where'd she go?" Dean questioned as they scanned the river below.

Sam shook his head. "I don't know."

"She vanished." Concluded JJ as they realised Constance was not in the river beneath them. 

But she wasn't gone for long. A low rumbling echoed in the night and the sound of it caused all three Winchester to turn towards the Impala. They were greeted with bright beaming headlights which made them wince. How could the Impala be on? They were right there. That was when JJ realised what was happening and he sighed in annoyance. 

The brothers exchanged a puzzled look. "What the—" 

"Who's driving your car?"

No words passed the eldest brother's lips as he continued to stare at his beloved car. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his keys before jingling them softly. "It's Constance." Stated JJ as he narrowed his eyes at Baby. "She's got the car." 

The car lunged towards the trio, jerking into motion and heading straight for them. To begin with they didn't move. Not daring to as if Baby was the tyrannosaurus rex from Jurassic Park. But she wasn't. Then, as the car picked up in pace, the Winchesters finally broke from their trance and turned to run in the opposite direction. 

JJ didn't know what came over him, but he found himself yelling at the car. "You found the wrong car to mess with, ghost girl!" He didn't stop running though. 

There was only one way to escape the car and all three Winchesters knew it. They would have to jump. Being as tall as they were, it didn't take the brothers long to reach the edge and once they had, they dived from it. Just like Constance. And as soon as they left the metal floor of the bridge, the Impala came to an abrupt halt. Constance was gone and they weren't going to be roadkill. 

Which was great and all, but two of the three brothers were now dangling from the railing with as much strength as they could muster to prevent from entering the choppy waters below. JJ felt the cold metal press deeply into his skin as he held on for dear life. He was able to see Sam hanging beside him, but no Dean. Where was their big brother? Panic flared in his chest as he tried to look around for their brother, but he was nowhere to be found. 

So JJ manged to pull himself up and over the rusty railing, his hands now stained orange from the dust. Sam was beside him as he too had clambered back over onto the bridge. Both twins exchanged a look of relief to see the other okay and they panted breathlessly. Neither of them reached out for a hug, but the look in their eyes carried the same sentiment. 

"Dean!" Yelled JJ as he peered back over the railing.

Sam, having then noticed that their older brother was not with them, joined his twin at the edge. "Dean!"

No answer.

Then movement occurred on the bank below them. A figure dragged themself out of the murky water, coated from head to toe with a thick, gloopy mud. It was their brother. JJ sighed in relief as a filthy and annoyed Dean sprawled himself out across the bank, panting for breath. "Are you okay?" Questioned JJ.

Dean made an 'ok' sign with his hand before he replied. "I'm super." The twins laughed. 

JJ just shook his head at his brother but couldn't contain the smile that was spreading across his face. After picking himself up from the bank, Dean trudged back up to the bridge. The first thing he did was try to get some of the smelly mud across JJ's face, but fortunately for JJ, he was faster and managed to avoid it. Then Dean popped the hood of the Impala to make sure there wasn't any lasting damage after the ghost possession. 

Stepping forward, JJ scanned his muddy brother for injuries. "Are you sure you're okay, Dean?"

"I'm fine, Doc." Retorted the hunter sarcastically as he shut the hood of the car and leaned against it. "Really. Nothing hurts apart from my feelings." 

"And your pride." Added JJ with a smirk.

"Hey—"

Sam cut him off. "Your car all right?"

"Yeah." Nodded Dean and JJ let out a sigh of relief. He really did love that car and would hate the thought of something happening to it and Dean felt the same as scowl appeared on the man's face. "Whatever she did to it, seems all right now. That Constance chick, what a bitch!"

"Well, she doesn't want us digging around, that's for sure." Sam pointed out. "So where's the job go from here, geniuses?"

The twins then settled on the hood next to Dean once JJ was satisfied that the eldest wasn't injured from his topple into the river. They sat there in peaceful silence for a moment before Dean started to pick away at the mud on his clothes and flick it in all directions. JJ just managed to duck a piece before it was flung in his direction. He gave Dean an annoyed glare for that.

Sam's nose crinkled as Dean's new river aroma invaded his nostrils. It wasn't good. Then he turned to his brother and stated. "You smell like a toilet." A laugh bubbled in the twins' throats and JJ smirked teasingly. 

"That's what it is."

ALL JJ WANTED TO DO WAS COLLAPSE INTO A MODERTAELY COMFORTABLE BED AND HIBERNATE UNTIL HIS BIRTHDAY, BUT THAT WASN'T GOING TO HAPPEN SO HE'LL SETTLE FOR A FEW HOURS INSTEAD. Dean was still caked in mud when they arrived at the nearest motel, creating dark footprints in the old and already stained carpet. Both Sam and JJ followed their brother into the building, both obviously tired after all the events that had transpired earlier that day.

Dean made a beeline for the desk and then tossed down his credit card on top of the handwritten guest ledger. He offered a smile to clerk behind the desk who surprisingly said nothing as to the state he was in. "One room, please."

The clerk picked up the card, and once he read the name on it, he asked, much to their shock. "You guys have a reunion or something?"

JJ must have been too tired because he must've heard the guy wrong.

Both his brothers were also baffled, so the youngest then spoke up. "What do you mean?"

"I had another guy, Burt Aframian." He revealed and three pairs of eyes suddenly widened. It was their Dad. He was here. Or at least he was at some point. "He came and bought out a room for the whole month."

The brothers exchanged a look. They thought the trail might have run cold after the bridge, but they were wrong. Now they had another lead. 

JJ stepped towards the counter, resting his rust-coated hands upon the edge. Then, he told the clerk. "That's our Father. Would you mind telling us what room he's in? He can be really forgetful sometimes because he didn't tell us which one he was in."

And after a moment of eyeing the trio, the clerk gave in.

WITH THEIR NEW INFORMATION, THE WINCHESTER BOYS FOUND THEIR FATHER'S ROOM WITH EASE. And Sam, by borrowing the lock picks Dean always carried around, managed to prise open the door so they could enter. JJ huffed tiredly before he followed his brothers into the place their Father had been staying and apparently wrecking considering the amount of mess that was everywhere. 

Articles, pictures, clippings and maps coated the four walls like a new wallpaper. Leather-bound books were stacked high upon the desk as assorted junk was sprawled across the floor and the unmade bed. JJ cringed at the smelly mess before him. And somewhere in all of this chaotic mess was John Winchester's train of thought. Dean reached over and flicked on the beside lamp and then picked up the remains of a half-eaten burger their Father had just abandoned. As he did that, JJ and Sam trained their tired eyes on the salt circle of protection surrounding the bed frame. It seemed their Father was very worried.

Sniffing the burger, Dean recoiled in disgust. "I don't think he's been here for a couple days at least." He coughed as he threw the burger back to where he found it.

Sam touched the edge of the salt circle. "Salt, cats-eyes shells... he was worried. Trying to keep something from coming in."

"Do you think that's why he left in such a hurry?" Queried JJ curiously as he glanced between his brothers who didn't reply. 

Dean stared at all the papers and documents pinned to the wall and then Sam got to his feet and made his way over to their older brother with JJ not far behind. "What have you got there?" He inquired as the middle Winchester reached into his pocket for his meds. 

"Centennial Highway victims." Dean stated as he turned to observe JJ popping a pill into his mouth. They all stared at the papers in front of them: profiles on each of the victims. Somehow in this mess, their Father had tried to piece together the pattern. "I don't get it—"

JJ smirked teasingly. "No surprise there, Dean."

"Hey!" Exclaimed the man as Sam hid his sniggers behind his hand. Then, with an annoyed sigh and a glare towards JJ, the hunter continued. "I was going to say," He sent his younger, smirking brother another glare. "was that they're different men, they have different jobs, ages, ethnicities. There's always a connection, right? What do these guys have in common?"

Honestly, JJ had no idea. With a shrug, he suggested. "Well, they're all men. There hasn't been a woman taken so maybe Constance has a thing against men. Understandable." Sometimes JJ had no idea why he was attracted to them. 

"Dad figured it out." Sam spoke up from the other end of the room. Breaking from their conversation, JJ and Dean headed to where Sam was facing the wall, eyes trained on something in particular. "He found the same article we did." JJ knew it. "Constance Welch. She's a woman in white."

Nodding in realisation, JJ hummed. "So she's killing cheaters? Go Constance." Okay, yes, JJ wanted to be a Doctor and help people. But those who cheated on their partners definitely had some karma heading their way.

Dean, it seemed, took a different perspective. "You slug dogs." He chuckled with a smirk. "All right, so if we're dealing with a woman in white, Dad would have found the corpse and destroyed it."

"Not if she's already been cremated."

Then Sam pointed out. "She might have another weakness."

"Well, Dad would want to make sure." Reasoned the eldest Winchester who then crossed over to join the youngest of the trio. JJ cast his eyes around the room, still searching for any clue to their Father's location. And when he caught sight of an old sheet of paper, covered with scribbled symbols, the boy frowned. Why did they seem so familiar? Did he draw those? "He'd dig her up. Does it say where she's buried."

"No, not that I can tell. If I were Dad, though, I'd go ask her husband." Sam tapped the picture of Joseph Welch caught up in their Father's mental spider web. "If he's still alive."

Dean continued to stare and read all their Father had gathered on what they were up against. "All right. Why don't you two, uh, see if you can find an address, I'm gonna get cleaned up." He headed straight for the bathroom as JJ rubbed the accumulated sleep dust from his tired eyes.

"Hey, Dean?" Called out Sam, stopping the hunter in his tracks. He then turned to his brother who sighed. "What I said earlier, about Mom and Dad, I'm sorry."

Holding out his hand, Dean stopped him. "No chick-flick moments."

JJ pouted teasingly. "But I thought we liked chick-flicks, Deanie?" He swore he saw his brother's cheeks redden beneath the coat of mud. 

Laughing, Sam nodded. "All right, Jerks."

"Bitches."

"Dicks." Snorted JJ.

The twins laughed heartily together then Dean vanished into the adjoining bathroom. An awkward silence quickly settled over them, but after a few moments Sam noticed something. Tucked inside the frame of the mirror, behind their Father's rosary beads was a picture of the four of them. John Winchester and his boys. Dean was sat next to John, baseball cap adoring his head, as the twins sat on their laps. JJ was perched on his Father's knees whilst Sam was on Dean. The twins held each other's hands sweetly as Sam was leaning towards JJ. They all had surprisingly large smiles and for once seemed normal. But John Winchester rarely smiled.

Plucking it from the mirror, Sam smiled sadly at the memory. "That was a long time ago, Sam." JJ reminded him. 

And it was. Because a lot had changed in those years. A lot. Including them.

JJ LAID BACK ON HIS FATHER'S BED, READY TO SLEEP AWAY ALL HIS TROUBLES AND EXHAUSTION. But then, of course, Dean had to re-enter the room. Sam had been listening to a voicemail from Jess, a sweet message to remind him she was thinking of him. Part of JJ envied his twin for that. Having someone that loved you that much sounded nice.

When he returned from the bathroom, he was finally clean of all the muck from the murky river water. Then he grabbed his jacket and shrugged it on as he crossed the room and headed towards the door. JJ opened his eyes slightly to watch Dean, happy that his brother no longer smelled like a disgusting toilet. 

"Hey. I'm starving." Now that JJ thought about it, he was too. His stomach rumbled in response. "I'm gonna grab a little something to eat in that diner down the street. You want anything?" Sam bluntly declined. "Aframian's buying." But Sam declined yet again.

Pulling himself from the messy bed, JJ let out a groan. "I'll come with you, Dean. I'm hungry too." In that moment he had to choose between food and sleep. In an ideal world, he would have both. So, JJ decided to go and have a bite then return for a well needed nap.

"Ok. Let's go then, Junior." 

JJ followed Dean out of the motel room and out into the motel car park. The middle Winchester stuffed his hands deep into his pockets as he trailed behind Dean. He wondered what kind of food was on the diner menu. He hoped it was something good. But of course, the universe had to rain on his parade. 

There were cop cars ahead.

Oh shit.

The motel clerk was stood between two deputies who were pointing in the brothers' direction. They exchanged a quick worried look before Dean whipped out his phone to call Sam. There was no way of escaping what was coming — they both knew it — but they could get their little brother out of it. After all, wasn't that what big brothers did. 

It didn't take the deputies long to spot the two brothers who were still trying to pretend like nothing was out of the ordinary. JJ was almost shaking in his boots. "Dude, five-oh, take off." He quickly warned Sam. Risking a glance to Dean, JJ watched as he conversed with the pre-law student on the other end of the phone. "Uh, they kinda spotted us. Go find Dad."

Dean hung up the phone.

The deputies approached the duo cautiously. JJ went to say something, but reconsidered and shut his mouth. Dean was better at talking in tight situations than he was. The eldest Winchester turned to grin at the officers as JJ internally sighed. This wasn't going to go well. 

"Problem, officers?"

Eyeing JJ, who was hanging back behind Dean, they raised their eyebrows at the two. "Where's your other partner?"

"Other partner?" Frowned Dean. "What other partner?" 

Even after glancing at JJ somewhat expectantly, the boy still did not respond. Then the deputy looked over his shoulder to jerk his thumb towards the motel room they had just been in. Where Sam was. So the other deputy headed over there. Both brothers fidgeted nervously as they neared Sam. They couldn't let them get him. 

Humming in thought, the officer started. "So, fake US Marshals. Fake credit cards. You got anything that's real?" He queried.

Dean just grinned cheekily. "My boobs."

"Dude—" Protested JJ, but it was too late. The words had been said and there was no going back. 

One officer grasped JJ as the other took Dean and before the brothers knew it, they were being slammed down onto the hood of the car. The impact caused JJ to groan as he felt the metal bash against his ribs. But that didn't mean he was incapacitated from throwing Dean the most heated and annoyed glare he could. They had been in some tough scrapes before but JJ had never been arrested. Great, just great.

And as the deputies read them their rights, JJ just hoped that Sam could escape the motel without being caught so that he could end Constance Welch once and for all.

CONSIDERING HOW LOW BUDGET AND SMALL THE STATION WAS, THEY DECIDED TO PLACE BOTH BROTHERS IN THE SAME ROOM, HANDCUFFED TO THE SAME TABLE. The cold metal rubbed against JJ's wrists as he awkwardly sat beside Dean. Placing both chairs on one side of the table meant they were positioned rather uncomfortably. JJ huffed again in annoyance as he glanced at his brother. Because of him he had gotten arrested and had missed out on food and sleep.

"You just had to open your mouth, didn't you?"

Dean almost looked offended by his brother's reaction. "You seriously saying you wouldn't have said anything similar?"

"No!" Exclaimed JJ and if his hands weren't cuffed to the table, he would have thrown them into the air. "I would have said something that would make them go away. Not piss them off more." 

It was like he wasn't even listening to his brother because a small smirk tugged at Dean's lips. "But you gotta admit though, it was funny." JJ just sighed in exasperation. 

Thankfully, the Sheriff chose that moment to step into the room, a box in hand. He placed it down on the table in front of them before taking a seat to face the two brothers. This wasn't going to go well. By the look on the man's face, JJ was right about that.

Staring intensely at the two, the Sheriff then interrogated. "So you want to give us your real names?"

"I told you, it's Nugent. Ted Nugent." He flat out lied. "And this is my brother, Harold." Where the hell that came from, JJ didn't know. 

The Sheriff just sighed heavily before he reached into his pocket to place a bottle of pills onto the table. JJ's pills. Honestly, he hadn't realised he'd been searched. Looking at the bottle in alarm, JJ's eyes widened. "My deputies pulled this out of your pocket, son. And it says here your name is Fred Thompkins." He talked straight at JJ. "You some sort of addict?"

Addict? Couldn't the guy read?

He was shocked by the accusation. "No—no." JJ quickly shut him down. "I'm not an addict. They're for my schizophrenia." 

Realisation crossed the officer's face. "So you're just a crazy then?"

"Hey—"

JJ said nothing and instead reached out to place a hand on Dean's arm. The man had tried to get to his feet but was stopped by the cuffs, a glower present on his face, as he stared down the Sheriff. In their line of work, that word wasn't used. And none of the brothers liked people using it to describe JJ. Their brother was probably the sanest one of the lot. Feeling JJ's hand on his arm, Dean backed down and returned to his seat. But the glare didn't vanish from his face.

The Sheriff quickly continued. "I'm not sure you both realise just how much trouble you're in here."

"We talkin', like, misdemeanour kind of trouble, or, uh, squeal like a pig trouble?"

Humming, JJ mused. "Judging by the look on his face, I would say somewhere in the middle." He leaned over to whisper to Dean.

"You got the faces of ten missing persons taped to your wall." He reminded them.

JJ shrugged innocently. "We like trying to solve mysteries. We wanted to be part of the Scooby gang when we grew up." An embarrassed flush reddened Dean's face as the Sheriff rolled his eyes at the brothers.

"Along with a whole lot of Satanic mumbo-jumbo. Boys, you are officially suspects." 

Nodding sarcastically, Dean responded. "That makes sense. Because when the first one went missing in '82 I was three and this guy," he pointed to JJ. "hadn't even been born yet."

 But that didn't seem to shake the Sheriff which made JJ frown. What did he have on them that was so concrete? "I know you've got partners. One of 'em's an older guy." He knew about their Dad. "Maybe he started the whole thing. So tell me. Dean. John." Both the Winchesters boys faces fell at the sound of their names. JJ more than Dean as it was a name he despised being called. Then the Sheriff tossed a leather bound journal onto the table before them. Their Dad's journal. "This his?"

They both stared at the journal pages as the Sheriff flicked through them. As kids, John would rarely let them read it, or even see it. It was his private place where he could store everything and anything he knew about the Supernatural. He had been working on it basically the entirety of their lives. Newspaper clippings, notes, pictures and even drawings covered the pages. Each of them linked to separate cases John worked on one time or another.

"I thought that those might be your names." Victoriously smirked the Sheriff. "See, I leafed through this. What little I could make out—I mean, it's nine kinds of crazy." Dean leaned forwards for a closer look as JJ raised his cuffed hands to rub his eyes. "But I found this too."

Now this intrigued JJ. The young man dropped his hands as the Sheriff turned the page to show them what he had found. Both the boys froze as they realised what it was. A clue.

Dean. John
35-111

They were co-ordinates. Their Dad had left them a clue as to where he was going next. Exchanging a knowing look, the brothers then refocused their sights on the page. "Now. You're both stayin' right here till you tell me exactly what the hell that means." 

JJ and Dean glanced simultaneously at the Sheriff. Dean leaned back in his chair as much as he could before he shrugged at the numbers in front of them. After a few minutes of back and forth arguing about what they meant, they had both had enough. So, the eldest Winchester brother said. "I don't know how many times I gotta tell you. It's my high school locker combo." 

"We gonna do this all night long?"

With pursed lips, JJ nodded. "Probably, Sheriff." 

Then before the Sheriff could say another word, a deputy leaned into the room and turned his focus to his boss. "We just got a 911, shots fired over at Whiteford Road." The two brothers shared a look as suspicions crept into their minds. Sighing, the Sheriff pulled himself from his chair and up onto his feet, then he turned to the boys.

"Either of you have to go to the bathroom?"

Dean shook his head. "No."

"Not right now."

The Sheriff nodded as he left the room and the two brothers behind. Dealing with a possible shooting was certainly more important than two men they already had in custody. Well, they did have. Because as soon as the Sheriff and Deputy were out of sight, Dean reached over to the file on the table and slipped a paperclip out from the pile of papers. He slipped it into the cuffs and picked the lock with ease thanks to their Father's training. Next, he went to unlock JJ's cuffs.

Anxiously glancing at the door, JJ hissed. "Dude, hurry up."

Dean huffed. "I'm trying, Junior. And that ain't helping." Finally, the cuffs released their hold on his wrists with a satisfying click. They were free. JJ then snatched his meds from the table and stuffed them back into his pocket.

Together the brothers slipped from the interrogation room and towards the back of the building. They were cautious of the Sheriff and any remaining deputies as they headed straight for the fire escape. Dean had swiped their Father's journal from the table and had it clasped under his arm as they made their escape. There was no way they were going to let something like John Winchester's journal remain in police custody. If it entered the system, JJ wasn't sure what would happen.

They quickly climbed down the fire escape, Dean going first. Then the two brothers disappeared into the night and for the police of Jericho, they had vanished without a trace. 

OF COURSE WHEN THE COPS SEARCHED THEM, THEY TOOK THEIR PHONES. JJ should have realised that. So now neither brother had anything they could use to call Sam and check up on him. They needed to know if he was okay and what the situation with Constance was. Which meant that they had no other option but find a phone booth.

Dean dialled inside the glass box as JJ leaned against the frame. He kept a look out for any sort of cops or anyone who would recognise them. No way did he want to end up back in that interrogation room again. This time they wouldn't let them go.

A smirk appeared on Dean's face when their younger brother answered. "Fake 911 phone call? Sammy, I don't know, that's pretty illegal." He teased.

"Yeah, I thought you were meant to be upholding the law, not breaking it." Continued JJ as a smirk of his own tugged at his lips. He could not hear a word Sam was saying but he was sure the pre-law student could hear him. 

"Listen, we gotta talk." Solemnly said Dean. Then after a moment, he cut in. "Sammy, would you shut up for a second?" JJ tapped his foot against the concrete absentmindedly. "Well, that's what I'm trying to tell you. He's gone. Dad left Jericho." Didn't JJ call it? He just knew their Father wouldn't be found. John Winchester was like that. After what JJ could only guess was a confused response from Sam, Dean replied. "We've got his journal.... Yeah, well, he did this time." 

JJ mused. "Dad loves that thing, he wouldn't leave it without a very good reason." And of course, that reason was the message he had left for his two sons. 

Dean nodded in agreement. "It was the same old ex-Marine crap, when he wants to let us know where he's going."

"Because calling is so much more effort." He rolled his eyes at his not present Father. 

Shooting a glare at his brother, Dean carried on. "I'm not sure yet." There was a moment of silence as Dean listened to Sam speak and JJ fidgeted against the metal pressing into his back. But then Dean suddenly shouted in panic. "Sam? Sam!"

Eyes widening in fear, JJ lunged towards the phone to try and hear his brother. But all he heard was the hard breathing and then the chilly voice of Constance Welch in the background. Heart racing inside his chest, JJ cried out. "Sam! Sammy! Hold on." 

Then the line went dead.

"We—we have to go." JJ said, frantic. He was panicking as fear took control. His twin was in danger and he would never forgive himself if something happened to Sam after they dragged him back into the life he left. "Constance. She has him. She wants him to take her home." Anger and determination consumed Dean's face.

"Let's go."

THEY RAN AS FAST AS THEY COULD TO THE WELCH HOUSE. And no matter how tired their legs became, they knew they couldn't stop. They had to get to Sam. And luckily, the Welch house wasn't too far from the station. Dean raided a shed along the way and managed to find a shotgun in amongst all the garden tools. Considering there was only one, JJ picked up an old iron bar as it was the only thing that would work against a ghost. 

Then they approached the Welch residence and the two brothers readied themselves for a fight.

When they arrived, JJ's heart clenched at the sight. Sam was trapped within the Impala, Constance pinning him down. He couldn't get out. Everything inside JJ screamed to panic, but as a hunter he knew better than allow that to win. He instead ran to the car as Dean fired the shotgun. JJ trusted Dean not to him and just ran to Sam's side.

The car door window was shattered with the bullet's impact. JJ grasped the handle with one hand as he swiped down with the other. In his hand, the iron bar came down onto Constance and she disappeared as soon as the metal touched her non-skin. Dean stopped firing. JJ hadn't realised he had fired more than once until it had stopped.

"Sam, you okay?" JJ immediately asked as he reached in to try and unlock the door to the Impala. "Are you hurt?" His eyes traced his twin's form for any sign of injury but he couldn't see a thing.

"I'm fine." 

But Sam wasn't focused on his older brother and instead grabbed the wheel. White-knuckled, Sam took off. JJ was sent tumbling back as the Impala surged forwards and crashed straight into the house. 

He had taken her home. Just as she wanted.

Dean and JJ exchanged a look before dashing forwards and through the broken wall to where the car had parked. They pushed past all the debris and discarded furniture to get to Sam, still within the Impala. "Sam, are you injured?" JJ asked again. What Sam had done was insane, but insane was on brand for the Winchesters.

"Sam! Sam! You okay?" Dean called out.

A small groan escaped Sam. "I think..."

"Can you move?" 

When Sam nodded, JJ let out an audible sigh of relief. If Sam could move, that was a good sign. Although he would have to check for concussion later. Another groan came from Sam as he attempted to clamber out of the car. "Help me?"

Of course, both JJ and Dean dropped the weapons in their hands to reach in and help their younger brother out of the vehicle. And once he was free, the three brothers turned to Constance who was glaring at them with pure rage. JJ almost flinched. The picture in her hand was suddenly thrown to the side. Then a bureau was launched at the trio, trapping them against the car. And despite their resistance, it wouldn't move.

JJ struggled to breathe between the car and the desk and no matter how hard he pushed, it refused to move from them. But they had bigger problems to worry about. As the lights above started to flicker. And as any hunter would tell you: that wasn't a good sign.

But what confused JJ more was that Constance seemed afraid. Then, he realised why. Because a moment later water started to trickle down the stairs, pooling at her ghostly feet. And when she followed the trail, she found herself staring at a boy and girl at the top.

Those were her children.

She was afraid to go home because of what she had done to her children. 

"You've come home to us, Mommy." They eerily said in sync. 

"This is some creepy shit." 

Constance stared at them, distraught over what she had done. And then her children vanished from the stairs, only to appear right behind her. They wrapped their arms around their Mother and as the undead family embraced, Constance started to scream. Her form flickered, even more than it did before. And then, in one big surge of energy, the three spirits melted into a puddle.

What Constance had done to her children had prevented them all from moving on, and now JJ hoped that because they were together, they could finally enter the afterlife and find peace wherever they ended up. 

Dean observed the scene and noted. "So this is where she drowned her kids." Both JJ and Sam nodded in confirmation.

"That's why she could never go home." The youngest Winchester explained as he sighed and placed hic hands in his pockets. "She was too scared to face them."

"That was her weak spot." Stated JJ as he glanced over at the spot where the Welchs once were with a sad look.

Meanwhile, Dean looked thrilled at the defeat of the man-killing spirit. "Nice work, Sammy." He congratulated him and then slapped his brother's chest where his injury was and then proceeded to walk away. JJ rolled his eyes at his big brother and Sam just chuckled through the pain.

"Yeah, I wish I could say the same for you two. What were you thinking shooting and slashing Casper in the face, you freaks?"

JJ snorted at his twin's words whilst Dean looked a little offended.

"Hey." Protested the eldest of the siblings. "We," He gestured between him and JJ. "saved your ass." Once he had finished, he turned to his car and gave Baby and visual examination to make sure she was alright. "I'll tell you another thing. If you screwed up my car?" He twisted around to look at Sam with a serious expression across his face. "I'll kill you."

The twins just exchanged a matching look before bursting into laughter. Dean and his love for his car. Now Constance Welch was gone, but it was only the beginning. They still had a Dad to find.

ON THE WAY BACK TO STANFORD, SAM HAD USED THE CO-ORDINATES THEIR FATHER HAD LEFT BEHIND TO FIGURE OUT WHERE HE WANTED THEM TO GO. But the message was left for Dean and JJ, not Sam, and JJ knew that this twin wanted to return to college where his girlfriend and his future as a lawyer rested. JJ wouldn't admit it, but he was sad to see Sam leave them once more. But he knew this important to him, so he let him go. 

They stood outside Sam's building and Dean was still frowning with disappointment. He had wanted Sam to ditch his college life and join them on the quest to find their Father. JJ, on the other hand, just wanted Sam to be happy even after everything that had happened between them. And if that meant becoming a lawyer, then JJ was gonna make sure that Sam was on the right track to become one.

Sam got out of the passenger seat and JJ took this as a sign to get out of the back. He instantly went and wrapped his arms around his twin and brought them close together. A shocked Sam tensed immediately before he relaxed into the hold. JJ was still upset after what had happened those years ago, but he decided he was no longer angry about it because he understood.

"Go become the best lawyer ever, Sam." Said the middle Winchester as he withdrew from the embrace.

"I will, J." 

And as his nickname fell from his twin's lips, JJ did not object.

Then Sam leaned over to window by Dean. "Call me if you find him?" Dean nodded as JJ left Sam's side and made his way over to slip into the passenger seat where Sam had just been. "And maybe I can meet you with two later, huh?"

"Yeah, all right." Sighed Dean in disappointment. He then ignored the look JJ was sending his way as he still clung to the hope that Sam would jump back into the Impala with them. Sam patted the car door twice before he turned and left. But Dean had to try one last time. "Sam?" The man turned back. "You know, we made a hell of a team back there."

JJ elbowed his brother to get his attention. "Let's go, Dean." He said to draw his brother's attention back to the road ahead. 

It was Dean's turn this time to throw a look. Then the Impala pulled away from the college and headed back down the road in the direction to where their Father had told them to go. All the while, JJ could not shake the feeling that something was wrong. 

They continued down the road and as they got further and further away from Sam, the feeling was just getting worse. A few times as kids, JJ and Sam had basically proved they had a twin connection, but they hadn't felt it in a long time. And now, JJ could sense it was back. 

The voices from his childhood were somehow breaking through his medication and he instantly clutched his head as he felt their mumbles breach his mind. Dean instantly noticed the change in his brother and removed one hand from the wheel to try and shake him out of whatever trance he was in. It didn't work.

"Junior! Junior!" Called Dean. But when his younger brother just responded with pained groans, the man started to panic. "What is it?! What's wrong?!"

Through the voices in his head and the pain in his heart, JJ could tell something was happening. Something was hurting Sam. They had to do something. They had to save him.

Forcing his eyes open, JJ whipped around to face Dean. "Dean, it's Sam. There's something wrong." He said through gritted teeth. "Twin thing." 

He did not dare mention the return of the voices he heard as a child, the ones his medication was meant to be keeping away. 

Dean had raised the twins, so he knew better than anyone that they did have some sort of twin connection. And that was enough for him to haul the car around and race back towards Sam's accommodation. If JJ was afraid, then it could not be good.

It didn't the Winchesters long to return to the place where they had dropped off Sam as they had sped as fast as they could. Once they arrived, Dean practically leapt out the car with JJ not that far behind. He was trying his best to ignore the voices in his head and the pain in his heart, but it was hard as the closer he got, the worse it became. It was like he could understand the voices yet as soon as the words were translated, he instantly forgot what it was. So JJ had no idea what the strange voices were trying to say. And it obviously did not help that they were pushing through his meds so things were bound to not be complete.

The brothers stormed up the stairs and once they reached the door, Dean got there first and kicked it down. And when he did, JJ just stared in horror at the sight. 

Sweet Jessica was burning on the ceiling. Just like their mother had done all those years ago. It was impossible.

But the boys did not have time to debate what it could mean as they had to get Sam. "Sam!" Shouted both Dean and JJ as they reached for him together.

Sam raised his arm to shield his face as the fire above continued to rage. "Jess!" He cried.

JJ's heart broke at his despair but he did not have time to comfort him as the elder siblings grasped an arm each and dragged Sam from the apartment. "I'm so sorry, Sam. I'm so sorry." Mumbled JJ over and over again as they forcefully pulled him from the premises.

"No! No!" 

Tears continued to fall from all Winchester brothers' faces as the body of Jessica Moore was fully consumed with flames which started to spread to the rest of the apartment. They had to get out of there and fast. So, JJ and Dean dragged a wailing Sam away and outside just as the rest of his apartment burst into a fiery inferno.

It did not take the fire brigade long to arrive so them and the police were currently swarming the area. The boys were gathered around the Impala and JJ just watched Sam with a concerned glance. Although the voices in his head and the pain in his heart was gone, a different kind of pain had emerged: grief and worry for his brother. 

And it wasn't a particularly good sign that Sam was loading a shotgun from the trunk. If they had learnt anything from their Dad it was that hunting the thing that killed your love wasn't a very good coping mechanism. And now Sam was about to go down that rabbit hole. Well, not if JJ could help it. He would do anything he could to help his brother stay on the right path. 

When Dean came to stand beside Sam, the latter tossed the gun back into the trunk as he attempted to mask his grief. 

"We got work to do."

Then the trunk was shut and their fate was sealed.

Here we go!!! Chapter 2!!!

Sorry it's been a little while so I hope this long chapter makes up for it.

I love JJ so much. He's still upset about Sam leaving him behind but that does not mean he'll stand in the way of Sam being happy. JJ will nearly always be the bigger person. Another reason I love him.

Let this poor boy be a doctor. John obviously noticed JJ was not like Dean and that he did not want to hunt, but he ignored that and made JJ hunt anyway. Will always be a John Winchester hater. 

I loved these boys together and they're only gonna get better.

Edit for this chapter:

Thank you for reading!

Sincerely Rosie aka Winter326