~*****~

"Los Angeles, California." Dean said simply as he slammed the trunk of the Impala shut. His arm looped around my waist, and tugged me to his side as I stepped around the Impala. He pressed a kiss to my temple. Sam chuckled as I shook my head in an endearing manner at his positive attitude. We were all in good moods. The sun was shining, we were relaxed, and ready for a new case.

"What's in L.A.?" Sama asked with a smirk as we leaned against the Impala.

"Young girl's being kidnapped by an evil cult." Dean replied while twirling his keys around on his finger.

"Yeah? Girl got a name?"

Right on cue, Dean answered with a snarky look. "Katie Holmes." He replied.

Sam and I choked a little before letting out a small laugh. "Very funny." I quip as I prop my hands on my hips.

Shouting and glass breaking erupted from the Roadhouse behind us. I turned to Sam and Dean with a raised eyebrow. Dean gave Sam an excited look before bolting for the front doors.

"Dean! This is a family matter- God, you're an idiot!" I whine as I follow after.

"I am your mother, I don't have to be reasonable!" Ellen shouted as she slammed something on the floor.

"You can't keep me here!" Jo screamed back. I rolled my eyes as Dean pushed open the doors.

"Oh, don't you bet on that, sweetie." Ellen snapped back. I peered around Dean's shoulder as we spied in. Sam pressed up against us to get a look.

"What are you going to do; are you going to chain me up in the basement?" Jo spat sarcastically. She was charging after her mother as Ellen flipped chairs off the tables to prepare for opening.

"You know what, you've had worse ideas than that recently." Ellen hissed. She spun back to face her daughter and angrily grabbed a chair, and flipping it onto the floor. "Hey, you don't wanna stay, don't stay. Go back to school."

"I didn't belong there! I was a freak with a knife collection!" Jo growled.

'Oh, god, I wish she'd grow up.' I thought to myself. I then let out a soft sigh. 'Hell, I have no right to talk.'

"Yeah, and getting yourself killed on some dusty back road, that's where you belong?" Ellen asked appalled. Jo's eyes flickered back to us and it took a second for Ellen to turn to us.

"Guys. Bad time." Ellen huffed.

"Yes, ma'am." Sam nodded.

"Yeah, we rarely drink before ten anyways." I brushed her off, and started pulling on Sam and Dean.

"Wait! I wanna know what they think about this!" Jo snapped angrily, and stormed towards us. I groaned inwardly. The front doors swung open, and a family of four stepped in, wearing bright yellow shirts that read, 'Nebraska is for Lovers'. Each parent held a child in their arms.

"I don't care what they think!" Ellen yelled.

"Are you guys open?" The dad asked timidly.

"No!" Jo shouted.

"Yes!" Ellen screamed.

The man awkwardly glanced to his wife and pointed behind him. "We'll just... check out the Arby's down the road." They left quickly. I wanted to walk out too, but unfortunately, Jo had a tight grip on my arm.

The phone rang, breaking the awkward silence. Ellen turned to grab it after a few moments. "Harvelle's. Yeah, Preacher." She answered.

Jo turned to us and grabbed a folder off the counter. I gazed at it as she held it out to Dean. "Three weeks ago, a young girl disappears from a Philadelphia apartment." She explained. Dean looked at the folder, looked up at her, and refused to take it. "Take it, it won't bite." Jo teased.

"No, but your mom might." Dean pointed out. Jo pinched her lips together and urged once more for him to take it. Dean took it after giving her an annoyed glance.

"And this girl wasn't the first. Over the past eighty years, six women have vanished. All from the same building, all young blondes. Only happens every decade or two so cops never eyeball the pattern." Jo explained while glancing between the three of us. I looked down at the file as Dean flicked through it. "So we're either dealing with one very old serial killer, or-"

"Who put this together?" I interrupt. That 'we' part made me cringe a bit. "Ash?"

"I did it myself." Jo stated proudly.

I heard Ellen set the phone down. "I gotta admit. We hit the road for a lot less." Sam mentioned.

"Good. You like it so much, you take it." Ellen huffed and walked over to us.

"Mom!" Jo exclaimed in outrage.

"Joanna Beth, this family has lost enough. And I won't lose you too!" Ellen snapped as her eyes flickered over us for a moment. "I just won't." My heart tore just a little. That motherly love that Ellen showed Jo, it was enough to make me yearn to see my own mother again, however impossible that may be. Jo couldn't see how much she cared, and that made me dislike her a little more.

~*****~

It didn't take us long to get to Philadelphia and find the apartment building mentioned. We snuck in easily, and the door was easier to get unlocked. I pushed the door open slowly, and let the boys in. Sam immediately pulled out an EMF as soon as we were inside.

"I kinda wish we were in L.A. instead of Philly right now." I mutter as I tug the hair clip from my thick hair. Dean turned to me with a raised eyebrow. "That way we wouldn't have snuck that case from Jo." I added.

"Yeah, maybe she put together a good file. But could you see her out here? Working one of these things? I don't think so." Dean responded. I shrugged lightly. "You getting anything?" Dean asked Sam.

"No, not yet." Sam called back. I stopped by a light switch with thick, black goo covering it. I ran my fingers over it. A faint, buzzing rattled through my finger tips. Sam brushed up against me and lifted his EMF. It was going wild. "What's that?"

"It's.... ectoplasm." I explained softly as I wipe at the thick, black goo. That hateful buzz kept rattling through my skin.

"Well, I know what were dealing with here." Dean chimed from behind us. We turned our heads to him, expecting a serious reaction. "It's the Stay-Puff Marshmallow Man."

I groaned in annoyance as I pulled out a hankerchief, and cleaned my fingers. "Really? Dean, we've only seen this stuff, like twice. I mean, to make this stuff, you have to be one majorly pissed off spirit."

"All right, lets find this badass before he snags anymore girls." Dean ordered. We exited the apartment and started heading down the hallway when two voices drifted up. Dean pulled me to his chest and into a doorway as they got closer.

"It's so convenient." A woman stated.

"Yeah, it's a great building, fixed up real nice. All the apartments come furnished too." A man, which I'm assuming to be the landlord, replied.

"It is so spacious." She replied. Was that who I thought it was? "You know, my friend told me I absolutely have to come check it out. And I have to admit, she was right. You did a really good job with this place."

"What the hell are you doing out here?" Dean questioned as the three of us stepped out in front of Jo and a large man.

"There you are, honey!" Jo called, making me start to froth at the mouth. She grabbed Dean around the waist, and tugged him to her side with a bright smile on her face. "This is my boyfriend, and these are his buddies. Sam and Carlotta." We all smiled to greet the landlord. Sam immediately wrapped his arm around to waist to keep me from drop kicking the pretty blonde.

"Good to meetcha. Quite a gal you've got here." The landlord praised while shaking Dean's hand.

"Oh yeah, she's a pistol." Dean chuckled, and swatted her ass. Sam tightened his hold as I bit my lip with fury. I'm going to go ahead and assume that extreme jealously is still a very rampant emotion I have yet to control. Though, my poker face still held up quite nicely.

"So, did you already check out that apartment?" Jo asked as she looked up at Dean. "The one for rent?"

"Yeah. Yes, loved it. Heh, great flow." Dean muttered nervously.

"How'd you get in?" The landlord asked.

"It was open." Dean lied quickly.

"Now, Ed, um, when did the last tenant move out?" Jo inquired.

"Oh, about a month ago. Cut and run, too. Stick me for the rent." The landlord sighed.

"Well, her loss, our gain!" Jo said in fake enthusiasm. She rested her hand on Dean's chest. "Cause if Dean-o loves it, it's good enough for me."

"Oh, sweetie." Dean said with a fake smile and swatted her ass again.

"We'll take it." Jo pulled out a large wad of cash and handed it over to Ed. He gave her a set of keys and started walking away.

After he left out sight, Dean quickly pulled away and lifted his hands as I took a step towards Jo in anger. "Get in the damn apartment, blondie." I snapped. She quickly fled into the apartment with Sam as I rounded on Dean. "Go grab them bags, and get your tight ass up here." I seethed.

Dean kept his hands up as I continued to seethe. "I uh- that was not my idea. Lottie- I love you, baby." He tried cooing. I took a soft breath and tried calming myself down. Dean took that opportunity to press a sloppy kiss to my lips. "I'll be back in a minute, okay?"

I nodded sullenly, and stepped into the apartment. I parked myself on a window sill, and started picking at my nails with my hunting knife. A few minutes pass, and Dean steps into the room with our bags. He dumped them onto the table where Sam sat. Jo had been pacing the room until Dean returned, and watched as he shrugged his jacket off, and picked up a gun to clean. I slipped my knife back into it's sheath, and grabbed my Beretta to clean. "I'll flip you for the sofa!" Jo called excitedly as she stood in front of Dean. I placed my gun on the table with a heavy thud.

"Does your mother even know you're here?" I ask harshly as I step over to them. Dean's hand wrapped around my waist.

"Told her I was going to Vegas." Jo shot back as she picked up a folder.

"You think she's gonna buy that?"

Jo's eyes trailed from Dean's face long enough to curl her lips up at me. God, it was like fighting a girl in a training bra. "I'm not an idiot. I got Ash to lay a credit card trail all the way to the casinos."

"You know, you shouldn't lie to your mom." Dean commented as he loaded his gun. "Shouldn't be here either." Jo looked to Sam to receive the same disappointed expression.

"Well I am. So untwist your boxers and deal with it." Jo replied.

"Where'd you get all that money from anyways?" Sam inquired.

"Working, at the Roadhouse." Jo said as if it were obvious.

"Yeah, I've worked there for a bit. Hunters don't tip that well." I scoffed.

"Well, they aren't that good at poker, either." Jo smirked. My cell started buzzing from my pocket. I flipped it open and pressed it to my ear.

"Yeah." I answered swiftly.

"Is she with you?" Ellen's voice rang out, making a large smirk wrap on my face.

"Ellen~ I was just thinkin' about you!" I say in a sickly sweet tone. Jo's eye's widened as she snapped her eyes to me.

"She left a note sayin' she's in Vegas. I don't believe it for a second!" Ellen explained. Sam chuckled as I got that look of pure satisfaction. Jo got in my face.

"Don't you dare!" She urged quietly as I held my phone away from my ear.

"Or what?" I shot back, our argument going unnoticed. I wracked my brain a little bit. If she messed something up, I'd have to deal with Ellen's rage, but on the otherhand, if she became useful, well, hell, that's another score for lady hunters everywhere.

"Lottie, you there?"

"I haven't seen her, hun. But I'll let one of my buddies in Nevada keep a look out for her, alright?" I say in a cheerful tone. "And I'll drag her back by that pretty hair of hers if I see her 'round here. Bye!" I end the call, clasp my hand around the cell, and jut my finger in Jo's face. "You mess anything up on this hunt, you'll find yourself at the Roadhouse quicker than you can say Blackjack." I snapped.

"I won't mess anything up!" Jo basically screamed back.

"Honey, if you hadn't noticed, the creep we're dealin' with, likes pretty blonde girls. And would you look at that- I got black hair, Dean's not a lady, and Sam's not one either. You fit the bill, baby. You are officially a target." I shove passed her and start stuffing the weapons back into the bag. "I ain't savin' your little ass once Ellen gets Ash to fold." I snap. Jo kept her glare on my as I went back to my window sill.

~*****~

Later that day, Sam and Jo sat at the table with the blueprints of the buildings spread out. Dean was pacing the floor behind Jo, while I was sat on one of the counters, drinking coffee. "This place was built in 1924. It was originally a warehouse, converted into apartments a few months ago." Jo explained while absentmindedly twirling a small knife around in her hand.

"Yeah? What was here before 1924?" Dean asked. I slipped off the counter and stood by Sam to gaze down at the prints.

"An empty field." I retorted.

"So, most likely scenario, someone died bloody in the building, and now he's back and raising hell." Sam pointed out as he read through some reports.

"I already checked." Jo started. "In the past eighty-two years, zero violent deaths. Unless you count a janitor who slipped on a wet floor."

"Will you sit down?" I snapped at Dean. He glanced at me before rolling his eyes, and took a seat.

"So have you checked police reports, county death records..." Dean smirked at Jo.

"Obituaries, mortuary reports, and seven other sources. I know what I'm doing." Jo interrupted, the knife stopping in her fist. She bit her lip and gave Dean a flirty smirk. My coffee cup on the counter shifted, and slipped onto the floor. Sam just looked up at me as I cleared my throat.

"I think the jury's still out on that one." I snapped. She glared at me. "Put that damn knife down, will ya?"

She looked down at it before slowly placing it on the table top. I cocked my head at it's color. It looked like iron. "Okay! So, uh, it's something else, then. Maybe some kind of cursed object that brought the spirit with it." Sam suggested as he broke the tension.

"Well, we've got to scan the whole building. Everywhere we can get to, right?" Jo asked.

"Right. So, you and me, we'll take the top two floors." Dean said to Jo, making me look over at him in confusion.

"We'd move fast if we split up." Jo protested.

"Oh, this isn't negotiable." Dean said sternly.

"I can go with her." I retorted as I stood up. They both gave me a glare.

"No, I got it." Dean snapped.

Jo crossed her arms over her chest. "I'll go with Carlotta."

"No-" Dean started. I interrupted him.

"I can handle myself and a damsel in distress, Dean." I snapped. "Quit arguin' and go with Sam." Dean crossed his arms over his chest as he glared at me. I had no earthly reason to be wary about Dean being alone with another woman, but dammit, I didn't like him being alone with other women. It's only common, right?

~*****~

I was steamed. I mean, really, really steamed. Dean came along with Jo and I anyway, and to top it all off, he stuck by her side like glue. Should I just go ahead and bleach my damn hair?! "So, you gonna buy me dinner?" I hear Jo asked. A light bulb down the hall went out as I fought from whirling around on her.

"What are you talking about?" Dean asked in confusion.

"Its just, if you're gonna ride me this close, it's only decent you buy me dinner." Jo teased with a flirty tone.

"You know, its bad enough we lied to your mom, but if you think I'm letting you out of my sight... I don't know if you've noticed, but you're kind of the spirits type." Dean noted.

"Exactly." She muttered.

"You wanna be bait?" I called back in surprise.

"Quickest way to draw it out and you know it." She said simply.

"Oh." Dean muttered.

"What?" Jo inquired.

"I'm so regretting this." Dean grumbled.

Jo came to a halt as I whirled around. She flung her hand up. "You know, I've had it up to here with your crap?"

"Excuse me?" Dean asked as he spun on his heel to face her.

"Your chauvinist crap. You think women can't do the job." Jo snapped. I rose my eyebrows in confusion. What am I then?

"Sweetheart, this ain't gender studies. Women can do the job just fine. Amateurs can't. You have no experience. What you do have is a bunch of half-baked romantic notions that some barflies put in your head." I growled.

"Now you sound like my mother." Jo hissed.

"Oh, and that's a bag thing? Because let me tell you..." I trailed off. I shook my head after a moment.

"What?" Jo pushed.

"Forget it."

"No, you started this." Jo pressed.

"Jo, you've got options. No one in their right mind chooses this life. My dad started me in this when I was so young... I wish I could do something else." Dean confessed.

"You love the job." Jo stated in confusion.

"Yeah, but I'm a little twisted." Dean chuckled dryly.

"You don't think I'm a little twisted, too?" Jo scoffed.

Dean sighed and tried taking a different tactic. "Jo, you've got a mother that worries about you. Who wants something more for you. Those are good things. You don't want to throw things like that away. Might be hard to find later."

"Well, doesn't Lottie-"

"No, I don't." I stated simply. "I started this life cause my parents died." Jo's eyes turned regretful. "Your mother loves you so much, and you just ignore that. I'd give anything to hear my mom say she loved me again. Hell, I'd do just about anything to hear it again. You don't want to live this life, Jo." I snapped again, and whirled around on my heel. A strange smell wafted up my nose, and I stopped. "You smell that?" I ask quietly.

"What is that, a gas leak?" Jo sniffed the air, and eyed the wall.

"No. Something else. I know it. I just can't put my finger on it." Dean said.

I gazed at the wall, and pressed my hands against it. That powerful, angry energy from before buzzed at my skin again. I knelt down to the ventalation shaft and urged Jo to wave her EMF over it. It went crazy. "Mazel Tov. You just found your first spirit." I hummed.

"It's inside the vent." Jo noted, and cocked her head to the side. I pulled my flash light out and settled onto the ground after tugging off the grating. I shined the light inwards and squinted. 

"There's... There's something in there." I muttered as I reached in. I raised an eyebrow as I grasped onto something stringy, and slimy. "Is that- Oh my god." I exclaimed in disgust. I pulled my arm out, and held out the chuck of scalp with blonde hair hanging from it. "Someone's keeping souvenirs." I grumbled.

"We should head back, let Sam know what we've found." Jo exclaimed excitedly, and jumped to her feet. I rolled my eyes and stood up after cleaning my hands off.

Dean sighed out in aggravation before turning to me. "You alright?"

"Just debating on whether or not to bleach my hair." I let slip. I groan inwardly as Dean's eyebrows furrow. "I mean- It just feels like... You may like blondes better...." I commented dryly as my cheeks started to heat up.

"Where the hell did you get that idea from, Lottie?" Dean asked in an annoyed tone.

"Every time we see Jo, you always put on this flirty vibe and I get very self conscious!" I seethed. Dean just gazed at me in confusion as I started tugging at my shoulder length hair. "Sometimes I feel like I should dye my hair blonde just to keep your attention, but then I start getting angry that I'm thinking like that because I'm not going to chase after someone who doesn't like me the way I am, and-" Dean rolled his eyes and stepped forward until he had me pinned against the wall with his lips pressed against my own. I tried pulling away with a grunt, but he looped his hands around my thighs and lifted me up, and forced me to wrap my legs around his hips.

"Oh, baby, you have no idea how crazy I am about you." Dean murmured as he ran his nose along my jaw line, and pressed delicate, little kisses to the sides of my neck. "It doesn't matter what hair color you have- blonde, black, red, blue- I'm attracted to every single look you put out." Dean continued to litter my skin with those soft kisses that seemed to suck away any semblance of control out of me. He angled his hips to my own, and pressed tighter against me. His erection burned against the apex of my thighs, forcing a small mewl to escape my throat. "You do wicked things to me, baby. I'm not fixing to let you go. Not in a million years." Dean grinned as I pulled my lower lip between my teeth and started humming in appreciation. I couldn't concentrate while his hips burned against my own, and he knew it. The bastard. I threw my arms around his neck and kissed him wildly.