>NO EXIT<

"We're going to Los Angeles, California," Alayna announced, glancing down at the newspaper article in her hands as Karoline threw their stuff into the trunk. They were parked right outside the Roadhouse where they'd stopped for the night to see if Ash or Axel had found anything regarding the demon. They had nothing new for them, but they decided to spend the night in one of Ellen's spare rooms anyway.

"What's in L.A.?" Sam questioned, and Alayna glanced sideways at him from where she was standing in front of the passenger's door.

"A young girl disappeared from her room - doors and windows were locked - police don't know how the intruder could have entered - no signs of a struggle," She read off the article that she had circled. She'd found it last night while she was sifting through news articles on her computer; She hadn't been able to sleep.

"Sounds like just another kidnapping," Dean pointed out dubiously, and Alayna just shrugged with a heavy sigh.

"It was all I could find,"

Karoline's eyes flicked to him as he pulled out his keys to open the driver's door. "You got something better?" As if on cue, there was an angry clatter from inside, making them focus their attention on the Roadhouse.

"I'm going!" Jo's voice sounded, full of teenage like defiance.

"Over my dead body!" Her mother snapped back.

"You're flipping out over nothing!" She yelled furiously.

"On the other hand - Catfight?" Dean phrased it like a suggestion, and they walked over to the door to see what was happening.

"I am your mother! I don't have to be reasonable!" Ellen was shouting as Alayna shut the door behind them quietly.

"You can't keep me here!" Jo argued.

"Oh, don't you bet on that, Sweetie!" Ellen stalked down the steps with Jo following hotly behind her.

"What are you gonna do? You gonna chain me up in the basement?" Karoline's gaze slid past them for a moment and rested on Axel who was standing with his arms folded at the base of the stairs leading up to the bedrooms.

"You've had worse ideas than that recently!" Ellen threw down the chair she'd been fixing, and it fell with a bang. "Hey, you don't want to stay! Don't stay - go back to school!"

"I didn't belong there!" Alayna glanced up at Karoline uncertainly and she shrugged back. "I was a freak with a knife collection!"

"Yeah, but getting yourself killed on some dusty back road-"

"Ellen!" Axel's sharp warning made her cut off mid sentence and turn to glare at him. The harsh glare only lasted a moment before she followed his gaze to the four hunters.

"Guys, bad time," Was all the greeting they got.

"Yes, ma'am," Sam agreed respectfully.

"Yeah, we rarely drink before ten anyway," Dean attempted to lighten the mood, but it failed miserably.

"Wait," Jo's command made Karoline pause, her hand still on the door knob. "I want to know what they think about this," She stormed towards them, her dark eyes stormy with stubbornness.

"I don't care what they think!" Ellen exclaimed in exasperation just as a family walked in with matching yellow t-shirts. Wonderful. The wife was pregnant and each parent was carrying a child under the age of five on their hip.

"Are you guys open?" The father asked with clear hesitation wavering in his voice.

"Yes!" Ellen yelled at the same time Jo snapped, "No!" The mother turned to look at the man with an expression of shock tinged with fear, making the husband chuckle nervously.

"There's an Arby's just down the road," Axel spoke up in a calm, reasonable voice, not moving from his place by the stairs. The parents regarded him for a moment before hurrying back through the door. Before anyone could break the uncomfortable silence, the landline began ringing. Jo turned to give her mother a very pointed look, and Ellen rolled her eyes and huffed before walking around the counter to pick up the phone.

"Harvelle's?" She paused momentarily "Yeah, Preacher," Jo whipped around to face the four and held out a cream colored file.

"Three weeks ago, a young girl disappears from a Philadelphia apartment," None of them made any move to take the file from her. "Take it. It won't bite," She shoved it at them, her eyes fixing on Dean.

"No, but your mom might," Dean pointed out. Karoline glanced past her at Axel who'd come to lean back against the counter behind Jo. Finally, she took the file from her hands, ignoring her hard, accusing eyes, and flipped it open.

"And this girl wasn't the first. Over the past eighty years, six women have vanished, all from the same building, all young blondes," She explained to them as Karoline studied the photo of the smiling blonde woman.

"It only happens every decade or two, so the cops never got interested," Axel added, purposefully overlooking Jo's glare. "Either it's the world's oldest serial killer, or it's a hunt,"

"You put this together?" Dean asked, his eyes flicking up from where him and Alayna were studying the file over Karoline's shoulder, to Axel.

"Jo did," He answered with something close to pride in his voice.

"I got to admit, we hit the road for a lot less," Sam made a valid point.

"Good. If you like the case so much, you take it," Ellen told them.

"Mom!" Jo started protesting, and Axel opened his mouth, but whether to help her or calm her no one would ever no for the look Ellen shot him made him snap his mouth shut so fast you could hear the click of his teeth.

"Joanna Beth, this family has lost enough. I won't loose you, too. I just won't," Ellen stated with an air of finality that let the four hunters know they should probably get going now.

"I'll go with you," For the second time in the past five minutes Karoline froze with her hand on the door knob, but this time when she turned back it was Axel who she faced with raised eyebrows. "I helped Jo put the file together. It's my case, too,"

"Sure," To everyone's surprise it was Sam who answered before any of them could. He turned back to face the door to see Dean glaring at him.

"Sammy..." Alayna protested with a hard look.

"We could use him," Sam's reasoning wasn't wrong.

"Come on, you can ride with us." Karoline offered much to Alayna's disappointment. The short brunette sent Axel a glare before stalking to the Buick and taking the front seat before Axel could even leave the building. Karoline risked a glance at Dean to see him still glaring, this time at Axel as he passed them and headed up the stairs. When she looked back at Jo, she was glowering at her with a mixture of betrayal, which Karoline knew must be directed at Axel, anger, and hatred. Karoline turned back to Dean just in time to see him stalk out the door, his jaw tight and his muscles tensed.

"This should be fun." Karoline whispered, her voice dripping with sarcasm as she and Sam followed after Dean. They waited outside the car for a minute as Axel grabbed his already packed duffel; he always kept one ready just in case a hunt popped up or he needed to make a quick escape. He threw his stuff into the trunk before sliding in the back of the Buick. Karoline met Dean's eyes over the roof of the Impala and attempted a smile before climbing into her car and pulling away from the Roadhouse.

***2001***

"Look at you, your huge" An 18-year-old Sam's attention snapped up at the sound of her voice and a smile broke out on his face. A 17-year-old Alayna smiled back, "What? Shocked I showed up?" He didn't answer, just crossed the distance between them quickly and hugged her as tight as he could. She laughed, hugging him back just as tight. It had been so long since she'd last seen him. What was it now? Three? Four years now? He pulled back and just looked at her, really looked at her. She was so different.

"Uh... Uh, yeah. Here, sit," He gestured to the park bench, waiting for her to sit before he sat down himself. "I-" He chuckled. "It's good to see you."

"You too, Sammy," She smiled slightly and Sam chuckled, ducking his head slightly. "So, is there a reason for this surprise visit?" She prompted. He had called her, needing her to meet up with him. Something about an important decision he needed help with.

"Yeah, um, awhile back I applied for college, Stanford," Alayna's eyes widened slightly at the news, opening her mouth to respond before she rushed on. "I didn't think anything of until I got an acceptance letter. With a full-ride. I'm set."

"Does John know?" He lowered his gaze at her question, giving her all the answer she needed. "Does Dean?" Still no answer. She sighed, ducking her head so he'd meet her gaze. "Do you want to go to College?" That got his attention, causing him to turn his Hazel eyes on her in surprise.

"I don't know, I don't want to be a hunter my whole life," His voice began to pick up speed as he grew more passionate. "I mean, look around you Alayna. This life - It's not good, and it's not what I want, but..."

"But, what?" She prompted when he didn't continue.

"What will Dad think? What will Dean?" A small frown tugged at her lips when she took in his crestfallen face.

She hid it quickly taking in a deep breath, "Screw them," Sam turned his wide eyes on her again. "Sam, if this is something you want, you go for it," She laughed nudging his shoulder, successfully bringing a smile to his lips. "And if they won't support you int hat, screw them." She repeated.

"I want to go," He confessed reluctantly. "I just don't know."

"everyone has to be selfish at one point another, you have to do something for you, Sam." She advised, smiling when his eyes lite up with excitement.

"Okay..." he decided in a quiet voice, nodding. "I'll go." Alayna's smile widened when his eyes turned to her. "Thank you."

"Of course, Sammy. You know I'll always be here for you." She made the mistake of meeting his bright, Hazel eyes, feeling the smile slowly drop form her lips. Her eyes fluttered closed as Sam leant forward slightly, his nose brushing hers.

"I. um-" She jerked back, covering her mouth with wide eyes. "i have a boyfriend." She spluttered out, remembering that Daryll did in fact exist.

"What?" Sam frowned in confusion and shock at the random news.

"yeah," She laughed awkwardly, pushing up from her seat. "He's, you know, he's pretty great. And, yeah..." She took slow steps backwards, wringing out her hands. "I should get going, but it was good seeing you Sam. Feel free to call - anytime - ...yeah." With that she spun on her toes and hurried back to her motorcycle that was parked across the street.

***Present***

They got to the apartment building where the kidnappings happened and Alayna, Dean, Sam, and Axel stood behind Karoline as she unlocked the door with her lock picking set. She managed to get it unlocked within thirty seconds, and it swung open without further protest.

"I feel kind of bad snaking Jo's case," Sam confessed, as they stepped inside the room.

"Yeah, she's probably furious," Axel's voice sounded regretful.

"Don't worry. I'm sure your girlfriend will forgive you, and, who knows, maybe she put together a good case," Dean went on before Axel could say anything about the choice words that were flashing across his eyes.

"She did," Axel spoke with assurance and a hint of defensiveness.

"Maybe, but could you see her out here working one of these things?" Dean went on, throwing a pointed look over at , who glared back. "I don't think so," He answered his own rhetorical question.

"I could," Axel spoke up without a hint of doubt. "Jo would make a good hunter, she got a lot of her skill from her Dad, Ash and me too but, not nearly as much." Axel continued making Alayna scoff.

"You getting anything?" Dean questioned, as he came over to Karoline

"No, not much..." She trailed off as the EMF began beeping erratically. "Sam, 'Layna, come here," She crouched down beside the broken switch, which was now just a hole in the wall. Cautiously, she reached out to lightly touch the black goo that was leaking from the hole.

"Is that...?" Alayna let the question hang, already knowing the answer.

"Holy crap," Sam's whisper was enough confirmation to know she wasn't going crazy.

"That's ectoplasm," Dean sounded as confused and surprised as the others felt. "Well, guys, I think I know what we're dealing with here. It's the stay-puft marshmallow man," Karoline and Alayna couldn't help the completely inappropriate laugh that escaped their lips.

"Guys, I've only seen this stuff like twice," Sam said and Karoline and Alayna shared a look.

"This spirit has to be majorly pissed off at something," Alayna noted, and Karoline nodded.

"Let's find this badass before he snags any more girls," Dean grew slightly more serious. The five made thier way out into the hallway only to hear two voices coming from the corridor.

"It is so spacious. You know, my friends told me that I absolutely have to come check it out, and I have to admit that she was right. You did a really good job with this place," Jo Harvelle.

"What the hell are you doing here?" Axel's voice held an array of emotions in his voice

"There you are, honey," She strode right up to Axel and looped her arm through his, smiling broadly at him. "This is my boyfriend, Axel, and his buddies, Sam and Dean. And that's Karoline and Alayna, the friends who recommended the place"

"Good to meet you," The landlord spoke amicably to Axel, who shook his hand. "Quite a gal you got here,"

"Oh, believe me, I know," Axel's smile was slightly strained. "She's quite the pistol," Jo jumped a little as Axel smacked her ass, and Karoline had to bite her lip to keep from laughing.

"So, did you already check out the apartment?" Silence for a moment. "The one for rent," Jo clarified letting out a high pitched giggle.

"Yeah, absolutely. It's perfect, sweetheart," Axel then turned to the man in front of them. "Very spacious," He added, at a loss for other words.

"How'd you get in?" The man asked, his eyes narrowing suspiciously at them.

"The door was unlocked," Axel told him, and the man looked as though he were about to argue.

"Now, Ed, when did the last tenant move out?" Jo saved Axel by asking the question abruptly.

"Uh, about a month ago. Cut and run, too. Stiffed me for the rent," His face drew together in anger as he spoke about the last tenant.

"Well, her loss, our gain," Alayna nearly physically winced at Jo's use of the word 'her'. She shouldn't know the tenant was a girl. "'Cause if Axe loves it, it's good enough for me,"

"Oh, you're the best, Angel," Axel spoke in an overly sugary voice.

"We'll take it," Jo held up a wad of cash in front of the man's nose, and Karoline eyes widened slightly at how much money that was, looking over at Alayna who had the same look.

"Okay," The man agreed, taking the cash from her and counting it out. Jo helped Axel, Dean, Sam, and the girls take some equipment out of the cars in black duffels and set it down in the apartment Jo had just bought.

"Flip you for the sofa," Jo offered, fixing her eyes on Axel with a grin.

"Tell me something, Ellen know you're here?" Alayna paused to glance at Jo before going back to checking the gun in her hands.

"I told her I was going to Vegas," Jo explained with a shrug, unfolding a map of the apartment building.

"There's no way in hell she's going to believe that," Axel stated without a shadow of doubt in his voice.

"I'm not an idiot," Jo told him, annoyance creeping into her voice. "I got Ash to lay a credit card trail all the way to the casinos."

"You shouldn't lie to her," Axel cocked the gun in his hands as he spoke without looking at Jo.

"You shouldn't be here, either," Dean added, causing Jo to turn a cold glare on him.

"Well, I am, so untwist your boxers and deal with it," Karoline's eyebrows rose at her sharp remark. At least she had the 'no bullshit' attitude of a hunter. That was a start.

"So, where'd the money come from?" Karoline asked her, and her eyes grew even colder as she turned to regard her.

"Working at the Roadhouse," She answered curtly, causing Karoline to narrow her eyes slightly.

"Hunters don't tip that well," Dean pointed out, disbelief lining his voice.

"They aren't that good at poker, either," She replied without missing a beat. Just then, Axel's cell went off, and he flipped it open pressing the speaker to his ear.

"Is she with you?" His head snapped up at the sound of Ellen's voice.

"Hello to you too, Ellen," Jo's eyes widened slightly as Axel gave her a look before walking away from the table slightly.

"She left a note she's in Vegas. I don't believe it for a second," Jo stormed over to stand in front of Axel, who tightened his jaw, his eyes torn.

"Don't you tell her-" Jo began as Axel talked over her, saying, "I'm telling her," They fired rapid arguments at each other in low voices for a moment before Ellen's voice came back over the line.

"Axel?"

"Haven't seen her." Axel spoke into the phone, never breaking eye contact with Jo.

"You sure about that?" Ellen sounded genuinely surprised at his response.

"Yeah, I'm sure she just needed some time to cool off," Axel's light tone didn't match the annoyance that burned in his eyes.

"Well, please, if she shows up you'll drag her butt right back here, won't you? You of all people know how much she means to me." Axel swallowed hard.

"Of course. Don't worry. I'm sure she'll be back in a few days," Axel reassured Ellen, all the while staring at Jo.

"Okay. Thanks, honey." Axel ended the call. Jo smiled broadly at him before sitting back down.

"This place was built in 1924," She began, looking down at the blueprints that she'd spread across the table. "It was originally a warehouse, converted into apartments a few months ago,"

"Yeah? What about before 1924?" Axel questioned from where he was pacing back and forth.

"Nothing. There was just an empty field," Alayna answered, leaning back in her chair, for she'd already memorized the information.

"Which means that someone probably died bloody and is now back seeking revenge," Karoline summed up.

"I already checked that. In the past eighty-two years, zero violent deaths, unless you count a janitor who slipped on a wet floor," Jo shot down her theory. "Could you sit down, please?" She stopped toying with her knife and pointed it over her shoulder at where Axel was still walking back and forth restlessly.

"So, have you checked the police reports, county death records?" Dean asked as Axel took a seat next to Jo.

"Obituaries, mortuary reports, and seven other sources," She listed, looking pointedly at Dean and Karoline. "I know what I'm doing,"

"I think the jury's still out on that one," Dean muttered.

"She's fine," Axel defended her, earning a grateful and slightly surprised glance from Jo. "And put that down," He snatched the knife that she had been flicking back and forth between her fingers and set it down on the table.

"Okay," Sam broke the uneasy silence. "So, uh, it's something else, then. Maybe some kind of cursed object. That brought a spirit with it,"

Alayna bit the inside of her cheek and frowned, "Maybe."

"We should scan the whole building," Karoline concluded logically. "Dean, you take the top floor. Sam and Alayna, the third. I'll take the second. Axel and Jo will get the ground,"

"I have a better idea," Karoline's eyes flicked to Axel questioningly as she grabbed an EMF. Dean, Alayna, and Sam were already out the door. "Jo can go with you on the second floor. I'll take the ground floor alone. Give you two a chance to bond," Before she could argue he was already out the door. Karoline turned to Jo, who was glaring at her.

"Wonderful." Karoline muttered. They started down the hallway in a heavy silence that you could've cut with a knife.

"We'd cover more ground if we split up," Jo pointed out, making Karoline laugh slightly.

"If you think I'm letting you out of my sight you're crazy," Karoline informed her, giving her no room for arguments. "In case you hadn't noticed, you kind of fit the profile," she gestured to her blonde hair.

"So do you." Jo retorted, mocking Karoline's gesture.

"Yeah, but I think I have just a little more experience," Karoline replied easily, smirking when Jo scoffed. "Besides, Axel would never agree to you being bait," Karoline stated confidently.

"Well, you'd know, wouldn't you?" Karoline stopped walking abruptly, furrowing her eyebrows at the back of Jo's head as she continued down the hallway.

"What's that supposed to mean?" Jo whirled to face Karoline, her eyes growing defensive.

"Nothing, just as his ex-fiance you would know that," She replied easily and Karoline's eyebrows shot up.

"That was years ago, besides this isn't news so why's it got your panties in a twist now," Jo let out another scoff as she turned her back to the older blonde. "You like him, don't you?"

"I never said that," She argued and Karoline held her hands up in surrender.

"You never denied it either," Karoline smirked when Jo had no response. "He's totally got a thing for you too, by the way."

"Whatever," Jo mumbled and Karoline let out a small chuckle. There was silence for a few moments before she spoke up again. "You really think so?" Karoline smiled slightly.

"Oh, yeah," she glanced at Jo to find she wasn't next to her anymore but was kneeling beside a grate in the wall. The EMF was going crazy. Karoline knelt next to her and frowned, sniffing the air. Something smelled weird. "Do you smell that?"

"No, but the EMF is going crazy. It's inside the vent," She deduced, and Karoline reluctantly shook off whatever feeling she had and turned to the vent, fishing out a metal nail file from her pocket.

"Congratulations. You found your first ghost," Karoline used the edge of the metal as a screwdriver to unscrew the nails. Dean was the one that carried around a screwdriver in case this happened. It happened more than one would think. She stuck her head into the hole in the wall and looked around with her flashlight. "I think there's something in here," It felt a little damp and stringy, making her cringe slightly as she brought it out into the light of the hallway. A clump of blonde hair with part of the scalp still attached. "It's keeping souvenirs," She realized, the ghosts patterns seeming familiar somehow.

***

Karoline's eyes fluttered open, and she found herself looking up at the plain, white ceiling. She had fallen asleep in her clothes from the previous day on the still made bed. She'd been so exhausted she'd just passed out without bothering to do anything. Reluctantly, she pushed herself into sitting position, and went into the bathroom to take a quick shower, brush her teeth, and change. When she was done she headed out to the main room to see Jo was sitting in the same place they'd left her, mulling over the missing persons and the blueprints, and Alayna by the counter drinking a monster as she went over the file in her hand.

"Did you sleep at all last night?" Karoline directed her question at Jo as she moved over to Alayna. She shook her head, making Karoline sigh heavily. "Sip?" Karoline prompted and reluctantly Alayna let her take a sip.

"I've just been going over everything," Jo gestured to the papers in front of her.

"Where's Sam, Dean, and Axel?" Was Karoline's next question.

"They went to get coffee," Alayna answered and Karoline's eyebrows shot up.

"Together?" Alayna nodded at Karoline's disbelief. "One of our boyfriends aren't coming back alive." Karoline joked, looking over at Jo, earning a laugh from the younger blonde. "You know, I think that might be the first time I've heard you laugh," Karoline pointed out truthfully, making her look down at the knife she kept twirling around.

"Can I ask you something?" Karoline sat down across from her, nodding while she began studying the blueprints, Alayna coming up behind her to look them over. "What's Dean's problem with me?" They both glanced up at her, surprised at her bluntness.

"You've got options, Jo," She raised her eyebrows, but Alayna kept her eyes glued to the blueprints. "You could be anything."

"You've got a mother that cares about you," Karoline continued for her sister. "You could have a life. A good one. Dean and Sam and even Alayna and I - we didn't have a choice," She seemed to accept their response because she didn't press the matter further. A couple moments had passed when a panting Sam, Dean, and Axel burst through the door. "What happened to the coffee?"

"There are cops outside," Sam told them breathlessly.

"Another girl's vanished," Axel explained.