"So Doc, what am I getting myself into?"

Chase strode into the tattoo parlor with a small black duffel slung over his shoulder, a tired smile on his face that didn't quite reach his bloodshot red rimmed eyes.

"I'd suggest talking to Sam and Dean, zhey can better inform you about vhat ve are up against." Schneep advised, Chase glancing at the Winchesters warily.

"Hey, weren't you that guy from yesterday with Doc?" Dean questioned as he looked at Chase, the male biting his lip as he slowly nodded.

"Yeah, but..." Chase trailed off with a sigh as he bowed his head to avoid Sam and Dean's curious gaze.

"My kids are gone, I need to find the fucker that took them and do whatever it takes to get them back." Chase snarled fiercely, his eyes blazing with intensity.

"What happened?" Sam prompted gently, Dean opening the door and motioning for the others to leave the tattoo parlor.

The sun was barely hovering over the horizon, casting a soft golden glow on the group as they walked down the sidewalk to somewhere more private.

"Last night, I was at home having a drink in the kitchen..."

"I can't sleep, I can't eat. I can't do anything, I'm just stuck. Day in and day out, I do the same things. Nothing ever changes...I just want things to go back to the way they were...I want to go back to when I was happy...when I had people in my life."

I sat in the dark kitchen illuminated by the few tall candles I bothered to light on the kitchen table, the electricity bill left unpaid once more.

I traced my hand over the framed photograph of Stacy and the kids in my other hand before grabbing my glass of whiskey and taking a long drink.

I set the photograph on the table face down as I rubbed my face with my hands, removing them only to take another drink to numb the pain.

My heart still ached when I left my hat on the table on top of the picture, my glass sitting half empty next to it as I walked towards my bedroom in the darkness.

I paused to flick on my lighter, the click of it trying to light filling the silence of the empty house.

When it finally did, I looked around and started hearing a baby laughing, causing me to turn into the hall to investigate.

A little girl, my little girl, soon started screaming in the distance as dark whispers filled my mind, my baby crying.

I froze when I reached my bedroom, a dark figure that looked eerily like me illuminated by a blood red light standing in the doorway.

"Who's there?" I questioned, trying to sound brave even though I felt far from it.

The figure turned to look at me with a wide grin, their left eye glowing a vibrant neon green.

"Where are they?! What do you want from me?!" I shouted in desperation, the figure quickly advancing towards me.

The last thing I saw was pitch black eyes boring into mine before I was encompassed in darkness.

"When I woke up, Stacy called and blamed me for taking the kids, thinking that I was that monster. I tried explaining, but she wouldn't listen. Now, I'm going to prove that I did nothing wrong and I'm going to find my kids." Chase finished quietly as the five slowed to a stop where there were no pedestrians nearby.

"That figure you saw, his name is Anti. He's a demon and he's in LA working with Dark, who is the king of the crossroad demons." Sam explained, Chase nodding thoughtfully.

"All of this shit is crazy and will probably get me killed," Chase interjected as he looked at Schneep with a light smirk.

"Count me in."

"So, I guess I'm taking everyone to LA, and we're not taking a plane because...?" Marvin trailed off.

"Dean's afraid of flying on planes." Sam stated, Dean glaring sourly at his brother.

"And you're deathly afraid of clowns." Dean retorted with a smug expression, his arms folded across his chest while Sam frowned in response.

"Wait, how is this guy taking us to LA then without a plane? I don't even know his name." Chase admitted.

Schneep opened his mouth explain when his phone started vibrating in his pocket once more, the German hastily answering it.

"Henrik, where are you? It's almost seven, your shift was supposed to have started an hour ago!" Doctor Iplier shouted, his voice tinged with panic.

"I-something came up, I have to take a temporary personal leave." Schneep lied, cringing outwardly as he imagined the disappointment on his coworker's face.

"Oh, uh, okay then. I'll find someone to cover your shift today and tomorrow, I uh, hope that you're okay." Doctor Iplier stammered before hanging up.

"Who was that?" Dean spoke up as Schneep stuck his phone back into his pocket, the German letting out a quiet sigh of exasperation.

"It vas a coworker, I had to tell him zhat I was taking a temporary personal leave." Schneep replied guiltily.

"Hopefully we'll have you back home before too long." Dean assured Schneep before glancing at Marvin.

"You up for this?" Dean prompted Marvin, the magician nodding as he took a deep breathe with his hands beginning to glow a pale green.

"What the-"

Before Chase could finish his sentence, the five abruptly disappeared from the sidewalk to arrive in an alley in LA.

"Schneep..."

The German looked over at Marvin in time to see his eyes start to roll into the back of his head, the magician's face deathly pale as his knees buckled.

"I got him Doc." Dean grunted, catching Marvin in his arms before gently lowering him to the ground.

"What happened? How did he do that?" Chase breathed in disbelief as he looked around him at the towering skyscrapers.

"It's...it's kind of a long story." Sam chimed in hastily as Schneep carefully picked Marvin up bridal style.

"Well, look who's been working out." Dean remarked, Schneep ignoring the Winchester as he looked at Marvin's face.

"Ve need to find a hotel so he can rest." Schneep stated as he looked up at the brothers, Dean chuckling quietly.

"Vhat are you laughing at?" Schneep questioned, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Nothing, lets just get your sleeping beauty to a hotel." Dean declared as he shook his head, Chase lightly nudging the German's arm.

"There's one right across the street." Chase muttered, pointing at a decent sized motel across from them.

"Zhen zhat is vhere ve vill go." Schneep decided, walking out of the alley onto the crowded sidewalk.

The German could tell that it was sometime in the afternoon, the sun shining high in the sky above the buildings.

"Thank god for technology." Sam remarked as he and Dean stepped out with Chase following, no pedestrians bothering to look at them since they were all absorbed into their phones.

"Hello." Sam greeted the person at the front desk cheerfully, Dean standing in front of Schneep to block the German from the front desk person's sight.

"I'd like to book a room for five adults for two nights." Dean spoke up, sliding the woman a card with a wink.

The woman blushed as she swiped the card, handing Dean a handful of room keys before shyly writing her number down on Dean's hand.

"Dean." Sam groaned in irritation, Dean striding last his brother to their shared room.

The left and right walls were lined with pale blue bunk beds, the plain white walls reminding Schneep of a hospital.

"Zhere you go." Schneep murmured, lowering Marvin onto the bottom bunk on the right side of the room.

"Uh, where would I be sleeping?" Chase questioned, Sam and Dean exchanging a look.

"I can-"

"I don't mind taking the floor." Chase interrupted Schneep, unceremoniously dumping his duffel on the floor.

"Works for me." Dean shrugged, the male dumping his stuff on the top left bunk while Sam shoved his stuff under the bed beneath Dean.

"Anyone up for food? I'm starving." Dean added, Schneep remembering that he hadn't had breakfast when his stomach rumbled loudly.

"I..." Schneep trailed off as he looked at Marvin, watching the magician's chest rise and fall with every breath he took.

"He won't be going anywhere when we're gone and no one can get into the room without a key." Sam pointed out, Schneep still feeling uncertain about the idea.

"C'mon Doc, I want food." Dean complained childishly, the ghost of a smile gracing the German's face.

"Okay, but-"

"Alright let's go!" Dean cut Schneep off, Sam rolling his eyes at his brother as he followed him out of the room with Chase trailing behind him.

"I'll be back Zauber." Schneep promised softly as he paused by the door, glancing back at Marvin one last time before looking away and walking out after the others.