>CROATOAN<

Make it pop like pink champagne

In the purple rain

We're gonna paint paint paint the city

We're gonna show off all our pretty, pretty 

"Why aren't we going up there with them?" Karoline looked up from painting her toe nails to her sister in the passenger seat when Alayna spoke up. Her eyes trained on Dean and Sam who were up at a fishing store talking with some guy Sam saw in his dream... Nightmare... Premonition thing. Dean and Sam had come barging into their motel room the other night, saying Sam had a dream and that they needed to go to Rivergrove, Oregon. Something about Dean unloading a round into some boy. They didn't explain why or what the guy was, only that they needed to go. Karoline and Alayna were too tired to protest so they just climbed into their car and followed.

"Because, FBI agents travel in pairs," Karoline answered like it was the most obvious thing, her foot kicked up on her steering wheel as she painted her toe nails a dark purple. "And my toes aren't done drying." Alayna shot her a look, slumping back into her seat and grabbing a box of Pringles from the side pocket in the door. Karoline smiled to herself when she finished, blowing on her nails as she peeked over at Alayna, her mind drifting back to what Dean had told her the other night. "'Layna, can I tell you a secret? And you can't tell Sam, okay?"

Alayna narrowed her eyes suspiciously, "Okay." She agreed, turning in her seat so she was facing her older sister.

"John told Dean something the day he died," She started hesitantly, focusing on getting the excess nail polish off the skin around her nail.

"Well..." Karoline peeked over at her sister, seeing her eyes wide and waiting.

"To protect you and Sam, but if he couldn't... he'd have to kill you." She said hesitantly, waiting to see what her reaction was.

"Protect us?" Alayna repeated, dubiously. "Protect us from what?"

"I don't know-"

"You don't know?" Alayna echoed with wide eyes. "Kari... am I gonna turn evil?"

"No," She met her sisters eyes firmly. "No, you're not, but it doesn't matter." Karoline sighed, gingerly running her fingers over the coat, to find they were dry.

"How can you say it doesn't matter-"

"Because Dad told me something himself, before he left," Karoline sighed heavily, dropping her feet back onto the seat and ticking them underneath herself. "That no matter what, to protect you. Period. So that's what I'm gonna do, even if I have to take down Dean myself." She added the last part, hoping to light the mood.

"You'd take down Dean for me?" Alayna mocked, a hand on her chest.

"Of course," Karoline smirked, starting to get out of the car when she noticed Dean and Sam making their way over. "Bros before Hos."

"Whose a Ho?" Karoline turned to Dean and Sam as Alayna came around from the other side of the car.

"You." Karoline answered easily, a bright smile Dean's way.

"So, what'd you find?" Alayna got back on track, grinning at the face Dean made.

"Duane Tanner," Sam answered easily. "Says he's a good kid. Does't get into much trouble. He lives up on Aspen Way, so we should head up there."

"And this is the kid Dean..." Alayna let the rest hang in the air, but they all got the point.

"Yeah." Sam replied tightly.

"Alright, then. We should... get going..." Alayna slowly trailed off when Karoline started walking away, they all turned to see her studying a wooden pole. "Kari? You okay?"

"Huh?" She blinked out of whatever trance she was and turned to see the other three watching her curiously. "Um, yeah. Come check this out." Alayna looked back at the boys before leading the way over to Karoline to see what she was staring at. The word 'Croatoan' was carved into the wood. Dean and Sam came up closer while Alayna stayed back a little ways, something about it just giving her all the wrong feelings.

"Croatoan?" Dean read, frowning in confusion.

"Roanoke. Lost colony. Ring a bell?" Sam tried, looking over Karoline at Dean who just stared at him blankly. "Dean, did you pay any attention in History class?"

"Yeah... The shot heard around the world. How bills become laws," Dean began listing general ideas, and Karoline slowly looked up at him.

"That's 'Schoolhouse Rock', not school." Karoline told him as Dean thought for a moment before shrugging, unconcerned.

"The Roanoke colony, was one of the first English colonies to settle here," Alayna filled in for him and the boys turned to look back at her. "Around the mid-to-late 1500's."

"Oh, yeah, yeah, I do remember that. The only thing they left behind was a single word carved in a tree," Dean recalled and Alayna nodded, wrapping her arms around herself as she averted her attention from the pole.

"Yeah, and they had dozens of theories like an Indian raid or disease, but nobody really knows what happened," Karoline continued for her sister, brushing her fingers over the carving gingerly. "They just disappeared, wiped out overnight."

"You don't think that's what's going on here. I mean..." Dean trailed off as he glanced around at the other three.

Sam sighed heavily, "Whatever I saw in my head, it sure wasn't good. But, what do you think could do that?"

"Whatever it is, it's probably tied to yellow eyes," Both boys and Karoline looked back at Alayna who had her eyes trained on the carving. With effort, she turned her attention to her sister. "We need help, you should call Dad."

"Yeah," Karoline pulled out her phone as Dean pulled out his.

"I'll try Bobby." Karoline frowned at her phone when she got the 'no signal' sign, she turned and walked a short distance down the sidewalk, holding her phone in the air. "I don't have a signal." She heard Dean announce.

"Same here," Karoline added coming back over to the boys and Alayna, Sam having pulled out his phone as well. Alayna sighed, running a hand through her hair as she let her eyes scan their surroundings. Her attention zoned in on the payphone, and she got an idea, she crossed the few steps over to it quickly and picked it up. Nothing. Not even a dial tone.

"The line's dead!" She called back to them as she hung up.

"We'll I'll give them props," Karoline began as Alayna came back to stand in the small circle they formed. "If I wanted to massacre a whole town, that would be the first thing on my to-do list." They drove out to Duane's house quickly after that.

***1996***

"Alayna and I are obviously the better siblings, we could beat you and Sam at just about anything," A 15-year-old Karoline insisted, her and a 17-year-old Dean arguing once again, while a 13-year-old Sam and a 12-year-old Alayna sat boredly in the small chairs. Alayna glanced over at Sam then over at the bowling lane sadly, they had set it up about twenty minutes ago, but weren't allowed to play until Dean and Karoline finished their argument.

"Please," Dean scoffed. "You could barely match up to my pinky."

"We could always test it out by having a bowling competition." Alayna spoke up, hoping to get the game started already.

Karoline and Dean shared a look, "Oh it's so on." Sam and Alayna shared a wide smile both getting up to finally get their bowling balls.

"You're about to get your ass served to you." Dean boasted, as he and Karoline followed the two younger ones to grab their own bowling balls.

"Dean, let's just talk about how much of a loser you are. think about it for a second. Got it?" Karoline grabbed a dark purple bowling ball off the rack and turned to him with a smirk. "Now, that's why you're going to lose."

"That's a lot of smack talk for a cheerleader."

Karoline quirked an eyebrow, "Oh, so you're pulling the cheerleader card now, you're going down." She had joined the cheer squad at this school since they'd be staying their for a while, this hunt was taking a lot longer than John and Tom had expected.

"I really doubt you'll be able to beat me."

Karoline placed a hands on her hip, "Just wait, I'll have you begging for mercy by the 6th frame."

"As long as you guys are done dirty talking I'd like to get to playing," both snapped their attention to Sam who was looking at them expectantly, a giggling Alayna beside him.

"Alright let's get our bowl on." Alayna cheered and turned to put their names on the score board.

***Present***

They pulled up in front of the Tanner house and headed up to the front door, Alayna knocking. She threw on an easy smile, as a kid, who couldn't have been any old than 18, answered the door. "Yeah?" He greeted, sounding a bit annoyed. Alayna struggled to keep the smile on her face as she got the same feeling from this kid that she did from the carving in the wood.

"Um, Hi. We're looking for Duane Tanner. He does live here, right?" Alayna asked politely, flashing her fake badge, and the boy nodded.

"He's my brother," The boy stated. He was calm, only mild curiosity showing on his features.

"Do you think we could talk to him," Karoline spoke up, and the boy glanced at her blankly.

"He's not here right now." His voice was as calm as his stance.

"Well, do you know where we could find him?" She asked instead, growing cautious of the boy in front of her.

"Yeah, he went on a fishing trip up by Roslyn Lake," He informed the four hunters without even blinking, not the slightest bit hesitant or concerned about giving up the information to them.

"Your parents home?" Sam questioned from behind the girls.

"Yeah, they're inside."

"Jake, who is it?" A man's voice came from inside the house, moments later and older man came to stand beside the boy - Jake.

"Hi, U.S. Marshals, sir, we're looking for your son Duane," Dean informed him. Alayna looked up at the older man taking a slight step back at the chill she got just from looking at him.

"Why? He's not in trouble, is he?" The older man asked in forced concern.

"We just need to ask him a couple routine questions." Dean assured him.

"Do you know when he's due back?" Alayna found her voice.

"I'm not sure," He confessed.

"Well, maybe your wife knows," Sam suggested, watching the two men cautiously, like they could go postal any second.

"No, I don't know. She's not here, right now." The man glanced back into the house, and Dean frowned at his words.

"Well, your son said she was," Dean pointed out.

"Did I?" The boy asked, look up with an unnerving, innocent face.

"She's getting groceries," The man explained, placing a hand on his son's back. "So, when Duane gets back, there's a number where we can get a hold of you?"

"No, it's fine. We'll just stop by later," Alayna told them with a big, fake smile before turning with her sister and the boys down the steps.

"That was kind of creepy, right? A little too Stepford?" Dean spoke up once the door was closed.

Karoline sighed heavily, "Oh, yeah." She looked around the house quickly. "Come on," She led the way around the side of the house where Alayna knelt beside a small window.

"Oh, my God..." Karoline turned at her sisters whisper, and knelt down next to the brunette.

"It's okay, mom," They could barely hear the boys voice. "It's not gonna hurt," The older man from earlier cut the woman's arm that they had bound to the chair, then Jake's. Karoline pulled a pistol out of the holster around her ankle and handed it off to Alayna before drawing a second one from her waist band. Dean kicked down the door and the four rushed in with their guns drawn. The older man screamed and lunged at the hunters earning several bullets in the chest from Karoline and Dean.

"Aah!" Sam snapped his attention to see Alayna holding a hand to her cheek while the younger boy, Jake, had a fist raised. Jake turned his attention on the gun pointed at him and made a break out the window. Sam ran to the broken window while Alayna knelt by the woman, who was crying by then. "You're okay," She assured the woman as she undid the gag and untied her hands. She gripped her bleeding upper arm before letting go and looking at the blood like it was acid. Then her eyes flicked up to Alayna, seeing the cut on her cheek.

"I'm so sorry." She apologized wiping the blood of Alayna's cheek but, it did nothing since their was blond on her own fingers. Alayna waved her off and used her sleeve to wipe the blood from her cheek.

"We should get her to a doctor." Alayna and Karoline helped her out of the chair and to their car with Sam and Dean following. Alayna sat in the back with the shaking woman while Karoline followed Dean and Sam to the Doctor's office just down the street. The girls helped her into the office while Dean grabbed the body of one Mr. Tanner with the trunk and he and Sam followed the girls inside. "Hello? Hello? We need a doctor here," Alayna called out, waiting for anyone to respond. A moment later, a young blonde woman came rushing out the door towards them.

"Mrs. Tanner, what happened?" She questioned hurriedly.

"She was attacked." Karoline explained shortly.

"Dr. Lee?" The young woman called, turning her head to the side at a door. Another blonde woman, this one older and in a white lab coat, came rushing out at the call of her name. Mrs. Tanner began to weep softly and the girls awkwardly tried to comfort her.

"Bring her in," Dr. Lee nodded at the door, and the assistant led Alayna and Mrs. Tanner into a back room while Karoline waited for Sam and Dean to catch up. Which didn't take long, a second later Dean and Sam came in carrying the dead body of Mr. Tanner.

"Is that..." Dr. Lee began, her eyes wide.

"Mr. Tanner." Sam finished for her.

"Was he attacked to?" She asked, her wide eyes flicking between the two boys then back at Karoline.

"Uh, no, actually, he did the attacking, and then he got himself shot," Dean explained easily.

"Shot?" Dr. Lee echoed incredulously. "And who are all of you?"

"U.S. Marshalls," Karoline spoke up this time, flashing her badge for the doctor to see.

"Do you have a spare room, maybe?" Sam asked, as Karoline stowed the badge away.

"Of course, bring him back here," Karoline watched Dean and Sam follow Dr. Lee before ducking into the small room Alayna was in with Mrs. Tanner.

"'Layna." Karoline dropped her voice into a low whisper so as not to draw attention to herself. Alayna turned at the sound of her name and Karoline's eyes widened slightly. "You're cheek," Alayna's hand instantly snapped up to her cheek, then looked down at her finger to see a tinge of blood on them. "Why isn't it healing?" Karoline hissed in a quiet voice so neither Mrs. Tanner or the assistant could hear.

"I do- I don't know." Alayna stuttered slightly, staring at the red liquid confused.

"Come on," Karoline led her over to the other side of the room and shifted through the contents on the shelf before bringing back some Neosporen and a band-aid. "Here." Alayna was still staring down at the blood on her fingers, a million thoughts racing through her head as Karoline wiped on some of the Neosporen then put on the bad-aid.

"Whoa, what happened?" Both girls turned to see Dean and Sam had joined them, as well as Dr. Lee who was over by Mrs. Tanner.

"We don't know," Karoline answered for her sister with a shrug. "She's just not healing."

"Are you okay?" Sam asked worriedly, and Alayna snapped her attention to him.

"Yeah, I'm fine," she smiled briefly at him, before focusing her attention on the conversation Dr. Lee and Mrs. Tanner were having.

"Wait, you said Jake helped him?" Dr. Lee questioned in disbelief. "Your son Jake?" Mrs. Tanner nodded, looking devastated.

"They beat me," She relayed, a distant look in her sad eyes. "Tied me up."

"I don't believe it," The assistant stated from the corner, and Alayna glanced at her with a slight frown, the same cold -unnerving- feeling coming to her like when she talked to the Tanner's.

"Pam," Dr. Lee warned her assistant, holding out a hand to quiet her as her eyes never left Mrs. Tanner's. "Beverly, do you have any idea why they would act this way? Any history of chemical dependency?" She questioned logically.

"No, of course not," She replied quietly. "I don't know why," She sniffled, as a few more tears leaked free. "One minute they were my husband and my son, and the next... they had the devil in them." Dean and Karoline shared a look at her choice of words.

"We've got to talk," Dean whispered softly enough so only that Sam and the girls could here. They all left the room and put a safe enough distance between themselves and the others so they couldn't be overheard. "Those guys were whacked out of their gourds."

"What do you think?" Sam asked as they came to a stop, looking around at the three.

"It could be mass possession, but..." Alayna trailed off with a shrug, glancing back at the room they had just left.

"If it is, there could be more. I mean, God knows how many. It could be like freaking shriner convention," Dean pointed out.

"Awesome," Karoline muttered, crossing her arms. "Well, that's one way to take out a town. Take it from the inside," Karoline pointed out, looking between her sister and the boys.

"I don't think it's possession," Alayna admitted. "There wasn't any smoke, and the bullets killed it."

"Well, one thing's for sure. Something defiantly turned them into a Monster." Karoline pointed out dejectedly.

"You know," Both girls looked up to see Dean looking back at Sam. "If you would have taken out the other one, there would be one less to worry about."

"I'm sorry, alright? I hesitated, Dean. it was a kid," Sam's jaw tightened as he turned to face his brother fully.

"No, it was an 'it'. It's not the best time for a bleeding heart, Sam."

"Dean's right, Sam," Sam's eyes turned to rest on Alayna, widening fractionally in surprise, but she had turned to give Dean a pointed look. "If something's evil, you kill it. No questions asked," Dean's eyes lost their anger suddenly as he looked passed Alayna to Karoline who's eyes were wide.

Before Dean could say anything to her she turned with a bright smile, "Dr. Lee!" She greeted the doctor. "How's Mrs. Tanner doing?"

"Terrible. What the hell happened out there?" She demanded, looking between the four questioningly.

"We don't know," Dean answered truthfully.

"Yeah? Well, you just killed my next door neighbor," She continued, her furious tone not faltering once.

"We didn't have a choice." Dean protested.

"Maybe so, but we need the county Sheriff. I need the coroner," She began only for Alayna to cut her off.

"The phones are down," She informed the doctor, who nodded brusquely.

"I know. I tried. Tell me you've got a police radio in the car," She practically begged the four hunters.

"Yeah, we do, but it crapped out just like everything else," Sam made up easily.

"I don't understand what is happening," Dr. Lee muttered, looking around the small room like the answers were written on the walls.

"How far is it to the next town?" Dean questioned before anyone else could speak up.

"It's about 40 miles down to Sidewinder," She informed them quickly.

"Alright, Kare and I will go down there and see if we can find some help," Dean stated, taking charge of the salutation as he turned to Karoline. She searched his face for a second, debating whether to hang back or take the chance on him interrogating her for telling Alayna his secret.

"Yeah, okay." She sighed, better sooner then later.

"These two will stick around and keep up guys safe," Dean clapped Sam on the shoulder and ruffled Alayna's hair before heading towards the door.

"Safe from what?"

"We'll have to get back to you on that one," Karoline told her not bothering to lie. She looked between Sam and Alayna briefly before tossing Alayna the keys just in case, then followed Dean out the door and into the Impala.

***1996***

Alayna walked up and narrowed her eyes at the pins as she took in a deep breath. She walked forward two steps before sending the bowling ball hurdling down the lane. She jumped up and cheered as all the pins tumbled to the ground.

"Whoo! Go Alayna!" Karoline cheered. "Hey, Dean! A little advice... don't suck." Karoline called out as Dean walked up to the lane and he rolled his eyes. He rolled the ball down the lane watching in anticipation as the ball neared the pins. The ball knocked down all the pins, he spun around and smirked as Sam shouted in happiness. Karoline rolled her eyes as Dean winked at her, "Okay so that was... okay, I'll give you that."

"Okay? That was perfect."

"Its was a perfect okay," Karoline teased earning a nudge from the older Winchester. She rolled her eyes at his presisteny, "Okay so it was perfect, whatever."

"Kari!" Alayna called catching her sister's attention.. "it's your turn."

Karoline chuckled sheepishly, "Oh, whoops." She walked up to the lane and paused, she wasn't the best at bowling for all that smack she was talking. She let out a breath before bowling. The pins fells, leaving two standing causing Karoline to groan in a annoyance.

"What happened to making us beg for mercy by the sixth frame." Dean teased as he and his brother chuckled, Karoline glared back at the two before heading over and grabbing her ball from the rack as it came back up. She rolled her eyes knocking down the two pins getting a spare.

"A spare! That's good!" Alayna reminded her sister with a reassuring smile. Sam was next, and he wasn't any better than Karoline, in fact he knocked down less pins and almost didn't get the spare. He did get the spare though.

The frames went by quickly, by the time they had reached the tenth frame the scores were pretty close. Alayna in the lead with a 234 and Dean close behind with a 230. Karoline and Sam were tied for third at 215. When they reached the tenth frame things were pretty tense. Alayna and Karoline combined was a good 449 while Sam and Dean combined were at 445. Alayna went up scoring a strike bringing her and her sisters total score up to 460. Dean also scored a strike bringing their score up to 456. Karoline then went up and ended up only knocking down 6 pins; 466. Now it was all up to Sam he'd have to get a strike to win the game, anything less and they'd lose. He grabbed his ball from the rack and narrowed his eyes. Karoline's eyes widened as she realized there was a huge possibility of him getting a strike. She ran over to her sister and whispered something into the brunettes ear. She smirked and nodded, strutting over to the bowling rack and leaning against it so Sam had a full view of her as he bowled. Sam eyed her weirdly, shaking his head he pulled back his ball to throw it-

"You're pretty cute, you know that?" Sam froze, the ball flying behind him into the lounge area as he stared at Alayna wide eyed. But when he looked at her she was staring down at her nails lazily, she looked up at the boy innocently, "What?"

"Wah! Huh?"

"Sammy!" Dean shouted in irritation coming back over with the bowling ball. "Pay attention, I'm not losing because of you." Sam narrowed his eyes as Karoline and Alayna started snickering. He snatched back the bowling ball, and readied himself again, he pulled his arm back and-

"Pretty adorable tkk." And the ball once again went flying backwards and everyone groaned.

"Huh!?" Sam exclaimed looking at the brunette who was focused on her Nachos. She looked up once again a hint of amusement on her features, but just like that it was gone.

"You outta pay more attention to the game Sammy, you're losing."

"No! This is your fault! Can't you two hear her?!"

"I haven't heard a thing." Karoline shrugged innocently.

"That's because I haven't said a thing." Alayna said simply.

"Get your head in the game, Sammy." Dean scolded. Sam narrowed his eyes, grumbling to himself as he went and grabbed the bowling ball. He steadied himself his Hazel eyes narrowed in on the pins. he pulled his arm back and-

"You're-" Sam was cut off this time as the ball went soaring down the lane, knocking down all the pins except one. Everyone was on the edge of their seats watching the pin teeter back and forth, until... it stopped, standing straight up.

"YES!" Karoline and Alayna cheered as Sam dropped to his knees in defeat.

"NO!!" Dean shouted, his hands tangled in his hair as he dropped to his knees as well.

"You cheaters!" Sam shook a finger at Karoline and Alayna.

"To what are you referring to chap." Alayna mocked, pretending to be pulling at an imaginary mustache. Sam tried, he really tried to keep a scowl on his face but he couldn't. He dropped his hand letting out a laugh that made the two grin.

***Present***

"You told her," Dean spoke up after nearly a thirty minute silent car ride, and Karoline let out a sigh. "You said you wouldn't tell her."

"I know, but how could I not tell her she might turn evil-"

"She's not turning evil," Dean insisted instantly. "Her and Sam, nothing is going to happen to them."

"Then why would John tell you to kill them?" Karoline shot back, turning in her seat to face him fully.

"He didn't," Before Karoline could respond Dean continued. "He said if I couldn't save them. I'm going to save them, Kare," His eyes met her with so much determination that she believed him. "Me and you, we're going to save them. I promise." Karoline smiled slightly, glancing out the windshield.

"Dean!" Karoline cried out when her eyes landed on the parked car in front of them and Dean slammed on the breaks. Her eyes danced over the blood before she turned back and grabbed Dean his shotgun from the back seat and passed it off to him, before pulling the pistol from the holster around her ankle and following him out of the car. As she got closer she realized their was more blood then she originally thought,  much more. Too much for it to have only come from one person.

"Lookie here," Karoline walked around the car to see Dean holding a bloody knife. Dean met her gaze before glancing up and down the road, but there was no one in sight. "We should keep going." They were only driving for another twenty minutes when they came up to a roadblock which consisted of three cars and six armed men. Dean slowed to a stop a few feet in front of it. Karoline slid out a shotgun from underneath her seat and passed it off the Dean then tucked her pistol into her jacket so it was out of sight of the men.

"Oh, you've got to be kidding me." Karoline muttered, glancing at Dean. He opened his mouth to respond, but was cut off by a bang on the roof, scaring the shit out of both of them. Karoline snapped her attention to the man by the drivers window.

"Hey," Dean chuckled awkwardly as he greeted the stranger.

"Sorry. Road's closed," He jerked his chin at the road block, Karoline narrowed her eyes slightly as she saw the Tanner kid in the center -Jake-

"Yeah, why is that?" Karoline asked as she looked back at the man.

"Quarantine," He answered simply yet confidently.

"Quarantine?" Karoline echoed, making herself sound surprised, slipping her hand into Dean's to play the part of the scared girlfriend. "What's out there?" She squeezed his hand to let him know they were all crazy.

"Don't know." The man looked up and over at the others blocking the road. "Something's going around out there."

"Uh-huh. Who told you that?" Dean stalled. Karoline subtly stuck her free hand into her jacket and grabbed the cool metal of her pistol

"County Sheriff," he answered easily, a little too easily.

"Is he here?" Dean inquired, but the guy shook his head.

"No. He called," Karoline glanced briefly to Dean at the man's words. "Say, why don't you two get out of the car, and we'll talk a little?"

"Well, you are a handsome devil, but we're not into that kind of stuff, sorry," Karoline's lip quirked at his words.

"I'd sure appreciate it if you got out of the car, just for a quick minute," He tried again, and Karoline slipped her hand from Deans to unsheathe her pistol and aim it right at the man, while Dean put the car in reverse, and slammed down on the gas.

"Stop!" The man cried, gripping Dean's jacket as Dean spun the car around. Karoline cocked the gun and fired several time, each bullet hitting the man's head and causing him to fly off the car.

"You okay?" Dean asked as he sped along the street back towards the doctor's office.

"Yeah, you?" She looked over at him to see him nod, though she knew he was just as freaked as she was. "What the Hell is going on here?"

"I have no idea." Dean admitted.

***

"What is taking them so long," Alayna sighed, the bag crinkling in her hands as she grabbed a small handful of M & M's and popped one into her mouth. She paused when Sam didn't respond and slowly looked up to see him raising his eyebrows at her. "What?" She shrugged innocently. "Want one?" She offered, holding out the handful.

Sam let out a short chuckle, swiping a few, "Do you and Karoline always have snacks like this?"

"Pretty much," She shrugged indifferently. "And If we ever don't then you know something's wrong."

"Huh." They both turned their attention to the doctor who was studying some of Mr. Tanner's blood under a microscope.

"What?

"His lymphocyte percentage is pretty high," Dr. Lee turned to the two hunters. "His body was fighting off a viral infection."

Alayna and Sam shared a look, the former pushing to her feet, "What kind of virus."

"Can't say for sure."

"Do you think an infection could have made him act like that?" Sam asked as Alayna went over to the doctor and peering into the microscope herself.

"None that I've ever heard of. I mean, some can cause dementia, but not that kind of violence. And besides, I've never heard of one that did this to the blood." Alayna straightened at the doctors words and glanced back at Sam before turning to Dr. Lee.

"What is that, exactly?" She inquired.

"There's this... weird residue. If I didn't know better I'd say it was sulfur." Dr. Lee glanced between the two but they didn't pay attention to her.

"Sulfur." Sam muttered as he met Alayna's gaze, and she let out a sigh, dropping her arms from their crossed position.

"I should check Beverly." Sam nodded at the Doctor's words and turned to Alayna as soon as she was gone.

"So, it's defiantly something demonic." Sam began.

"Yeah, but what?" Alayna sighed, running a hand through her hair. "I mean, have you ever heard of a demonic virus." Even as she said it she realized how crazy it sounded, crazy even for them. Before Sam could respond Dr. Lee came back into the room with Beverly. As soon as the woman walked into the room, Alayna was hit with a cold flash, turning her eyes on them she knew that, that wasn't Beverly Tanner anymore. "Sam," Alayna hiss while Dr. Lee told the woman what she had found out. "There's something wrong with her. That's not Mrs. Tanner."

"You mean like-" He didn't even have to finish the sentence for Alayna to nod. His brow furrowed as he studied the woman huddled on a stool.

"I don't understand. Are you saying my husband and Jake had a disease?" Beverly shook her head in disbelief.

"That's what we're trying to find out. Now, during the attack, do you remember- did you have any direct contact with their blood?" Alayna's eyes flicked to Dr. Lee then back to Beverly.

"Oh my God. You don't think I've got this virus, do you?" Alayna already knew she did, she saw Jake put his blood on her, then... then she put her blood on Alayna. Alayna's eyes widened at the Epiphany.

"That's why it wouldn't heal." She whispered, but no one paid her any attention.

"Beverly, I don't know what to think. But with your permission, we'll take a blood sample." Alayna's eyes turned to the two woman to see Beverly nod, and and lay her hand on Dr. Lee's. It was like it all happened in slow motion, Alayna knew what was going to happen but she couldn't get herself to say it fast enough. Beverly grabbed the doctors hands and let out a blood curling scream as she threw the blonde woman away from her. By the time Alayna recomposed herself Sam had already advanced on the crazy woman only to get thrown back into the cabinet, glass shattering around him. She turned and grabbed the fire extinguisher on the wall just as Beverly rushed at Sam with a scalpel, she turned and whacked her upside the head with the green fire extinguisher. She let out a heavy breath when Beverly hit the ground unconscious, her hands still shaking with adrenaline and the fear that, that's what she might become.

***

They were nearly to the hospital when Dean slammed on the breaks, both hunters looking over at the dark-skinned man with wide eyes. "Hand's where I can see them!" He ordered, his rifle alternating between the two of them.

"Son of a..." Dean let the implication hang in the air.

"Get out of the car!" Slowly the two got out, their hands raised in surrender to show him they weren't armed. "Get out of the car!"

"Fantastic," Karoline muttered in annoyance as she pushed open her passenger door, her eyes darting to the rifle that was aimed at her.

"All right. Easy there, big gut," Dean called as he slowly got out of the car as well. "Put it down." Dean whipped out his handgun and cocked it so fast, that even Karoline missed it until Dean was already pointing it at the man.

"Lower it now!" The man retorted. "Are you one of them!?"

"No, are you!?" Dean yelled back.

"No! What about her?!" His eyes flicked to Karoline but he kept his gun trained of Dean.

"No!" Dean answered before Karoline could.

"You could be lying!"

"So could you!"

"Alright!" Karoline finally intervened, taking a step forward. The man trained his gun on her and she raised her hands to show she wasn't a threat. "You two could keep this going all day. But, while you two are having your macho showdown the real threat is still out there, and could be closing in on us, right now." Slowly he lowered his gun slightly, his eyes not leaving Karoline's.

"What's going on with everyone?" He inquired.

"We don't know, yet." Karoline admitted, glancing over at Dean who still had his handgun slightly raised.

"My neighbor, Mr. Rogers-" He began, his voice still holding the same confusion.

"You've got a neighbor named Mr. Rogers?" Karoline shot Dean a half-amused, half-scathing look.

"Not anymore," That wiped any trace of amusement from either of their faces. "He came at me with a Hatchet. I had to put him down. He's not the only one. I mean, it's happening to everyone."

"Look, we're heading up to the doctor's place," Karoline explained, ignoring the sharp look Dean gave her. "You should come with us, there're still people left."

"No way. I'm getting the hell out," His protest was an immediate response.

"There's no way out," Dean told him instead. "They got the bridge covered. Now, come on."

"I don't believe you," He raised his gun again.

"Fine, then stay out in the open where anyone of them can get you," Karoline said impatiently, getting back into the car and slamming the door shut behind her, Dean doing the same. A moment later, the man slid into the back seat, pulling out a handgun. As soon as he sat down he trained his gun on Dean, and in a second Karoline had her gun out and trained on him. He switched the focus on the blonde and Dean let out a sigh.

"Well, this ought to be a relaxing drive," Dean commented as the Impala began to move again.