The chill coming off the mountains cut through Graham's coat like it wasn't even there. It sank into his bones and ate at his core. Mike and Spencer continued to argue a few feet away while Phoebe huddled against his side. The sun was already setting and their main source of heat would be gone in no time.

"I love that they're arguing over whether we go or stay while you hold onto the keys," Phoebe said through shivers. She glanced around at the small mountainside town they had stopped in. Down the road to their right was the path up into the mountains and the woods. A warm cabin waited for them after another two hour drive through the dark. "Can you just tell them to shut up and grab their bags? I got really lucky finding two rooms with two beds."

"I don't know how much luck had to do with it. I doubt this place gets a lot of foot traffic," Graham pointed out.

The lodge across the street looked like an oasis against the mountain side. Warm firelight spilled out across the shadowed ground in front of it. To their left was the rest of the town. People moved around as they headed home, much more prepared for the harsh winds that ghosted over everything. Some eyed the little quartet suspiciously. More precisely, they watched the arguing men.

Graham pushed away from the truck and stepped between them. His side almost burned with the sudden cold Phoebe's absence left."Guys, I am not driving off into the woods at night just so we can get there a little faster."

"It's not even that far. If we go fast enough we can get there before it's totally dark," Mike argued. He made a dive for the keys and Graham twisted his body to the side. "If you don't want to drive, I can do it."

"Mark, there's no way we'll get there before it's too dark," Spencer grumbled. He gestured angrily at the setting sun. "Besides, the road up is basically a super wide dirt path. We can't speed through that."

"And you're not driving my truck," Graham added. "So grab your crap, and get inside. I'm starving and listening to you two make everything a competition has worn down my nerves." He unlocked the car and stepped aside so they could grab their bags. He followed after Phoebe and made sure to put the keys in his inner pocket after he'd locked it. It wouldn't be completely out of the question for Mark to try to drive the way up solo.

The inn door opened and a blast of warm air hit them in the face. Phoebe rubbed her arms until the goosebumps died down. "You think there's anything to eat in this place?" she asked.

"Doesn't exactly look like a place with bustling nightlife," Mike muttered. He caught the key Graham tossed at him and checked the number on the wooden circle keychain. "I bet there's food at the cabin."

"Would you give it a rest?" Spencer said. He snatched the keys out of Mike's hand and headed for the stairs. Their bickering continued all the way up to their shared room.

Graham shook his head and apologized to the older woman behind the desk. "They've been stuck in a car together all day. They'll behave after they get some food. Is there anything open around here?"

She nodded and pointed out the window behind him where lanterns were being lit. "You're in luck, it's just about time for the festival to start. We've been celebrating the final harvests all week. You'll find plenty of stalls selling food and treats."

Phoebe perked up and stared out the window. A few carts trundled down the street, pulled by people and animals. The lit lanterns flickered and cast shadows between them. A band had set up somewhere. The music floated towards them on the cold breeze.

"We should go, at least to prove to Mike it was worth stopping," Graham said. "Go change into something warmer, I'll grab them."

It had only gotten colder outside, but the promise of hot food and mulled cider kept them moving towards the lit up town center. Stalls were overflowing with fresh picked fruits. Spencer had found a stall selling pumpkin pie crepes and coffee. The heat from the thin cup seeped into his frozen fingers,

Mike had been dead set about hating everything, from the guitar playing trio to the kids running across the path. Phoebe had eventually shut his snark filled mouth with a funnel cake, followed by a red and white cardboard food tray packed with sliders. He'd even mellowed out enough to play a game of milk bottle toss. He handed the plush bear he'd won to Phoebe with a smirk.

"Still got it," Mike said.

Graham rolled his eyes and shelled out the five dollars for a ball. "If I knock more down, you pay for all the gas I've used."

Mike shook his head and pointed an accusing finger at him. "That's not fair and you know it. No sane person would go up against Milton High's star pitcher. You go ahead and show off, Graham."

The man tending the booth sighed and readied himself to pull down one of the larger prizes. The first set of bottles clattered to the ground all together. The second and third sets fell in identical patterns. "What'll it be?" the man asked.

"Sword," Graham answered. He took the gray plastic sword and gave it a test swing. It whistled through the air and he grinned. "Fantastic. Now I'm ready for battle. Onwards!"

They wandered around the rows made by stalls, grabbing anything that caught their interest. Spencer finally had to stop them so he could settle the rush of sugar twisting his stomach. He stretched across a bench and waved them off. "I'll catch up."

Mike shrugged and let Phoebe drag him away. She kept hold of the bear in one hand and his hand in the other.

"Did you plan that?" Graham asked, watching them run off.

"Not exactly, just a good coincidence. Now, if you're just going to stand around, can you find me some water?" Spencer muttered.

Graham clenched his fist around the hilt of his sword and thumped it against his chest. "Yes, my lord." It was easier said than done. Every stall offered up something hot or sugary of both. He finally found a line for water that stretched three stalls long. It looked like everyone had the same idea at the same time. Graham rocked on his heels as the line quickly moved forward.

There was a bump against his back that nearly made him trip over his own feet. He turned with a frown.

"Sorry, I thought you'd moved," the man muttered sheepishly. He tucked his hands deeper into the pockets of his oversized coat.

"No big deal," Graham assured him. "Do you live here?

"Nah, just visiting," he explained. "I wasn't expecting to find all of this." He gestured around him to the bustling people.

"Me either," Graham said. The line moved along and he took the bottle of water offered up to him after paying a ridiculous price. The man took his right after. "Are you in town for long?"

"Just a week, I'm visiting some friends. I'm Gio."

"Graham." He shook the hand offered up to him. They meandered away in the same direction for a few steps until glanced down after hearing his phone going off. "Oh shoot, I gotta go. I was supposed to grab water and come back."

"Same," Graham shook the almost forgotten water bottle in his hand. "It was nice meeting you. I hope your trip is fun." He waved at him and started back for where he'd left Spencer.

The bench had gained two new occupants, one a short haired brunette who had Spencer's arm around her shoulders, the other a tall woman with her hair slung back in a low bun. Graham recognized them immediately and tossed Spencer the water to reach out for a hug. The brunette ran to him first. "Hey, Amy. I didn't know you were coming along."

"Moira made me. She said I was turning into a hermit and somehow going out into the woods would fix that," Amy said while throwing an eye roll at the other woman.

"It's a couple days of partying. If that's not anti-hermit then I don't know what is," Moira argued, giving Graham a quick hug after. "You guys decided to skip the midnight forest drive too?"

Graham nodded and handed Spencer the water. "Mike was all for plowing through. Luckily, he's not the driver," he said. "Did you guys just drive in today? I thought you left at the same time as Cas and Nora."

Amy spread her arms across the back of the bench and stretched her legs out. "We picked someone up along the way. Poor guy just got dumped by his girlfriend after three years. Being surrounded by strangers wouldn't be my first choice, but hey." She shrugged.

"You'll never know what you'd do, because I'm never leaving you," Moira joked.

"Why is he coming along anyway? We're all strangers to him, that must be uncomfortable," Spencer wondered.

"He's on the research team with Cas and Nora. I think they pushed a bit for him to come along," Moira explained. She waved to someone behind Graham and waved them forward. "He seems nice enough though. Come meet him. Hey, Gio, these are some of the guys we're going up to meet at the cabin."

Graham turned and imagined his face must look as shocked as Gio's.