chapter nine

the friggin' hook man?!

♰

CORDELIA LEANT AGAINST the payphone as Sam spoke to the officer on the other end of the device. Her lips perked in amusement at the clear frustration on the Winchester's face.

"I don't understand," he sighed, rolling his eyes. "Why do you need my badge number again?"

Whatever the officer on the other end of the phone responded with, Sam did not appear happy. He let out yet another sigh and briefly pulled the phone away from his ear.

Turning to Cordelia, he clenched his jaw, "I swear to God, I'm gonna kill someone."

She huffed out a laugh of amusement and once again, for the third time within the last five minutes, she handed him his badge.

"Number zero-three-zero-seven-zero-one," he told the other person, pausing briefly as they spoke. "Yes, Sargent Francis Martin, that's me."

He closed his eyes in irritation and exhaled deeply.

"Yes, Francis is a boy's name," once again he paused. "Alright, thank you for your time."

He slammed the phone back into the box and huffed like a child, "I swear, I'm gonna kill Dean."

"You and me both," Cordelia grumbled as they began to make their way back over to the small table at the outside café, where Dean was sat, laptop placed on the metal table in front of him. "He kicks in his sleep, kicks. I have a bruise the size of Russia on my damn leg."

"He's doing it on purpose 'cause he knows you're there," Sam joked, sending her a mocking grin.

"Ha, funny," Cordelia let out humourlessly.

Sam huffed out a laugh as they reached the table. At their approach, Dean glanced up at his brother with a teasing look. "Your, uh, half-caff double vanilla latte is getting cold over here, Francis."

"Bite me," Sam snapped, pulling his chair back with a squeak. Cordelia sent him an amused smile as she took the other seat, the one where, coincidentally, Dean's arm was wrapped around. Maybe Sam didn't want to cosy up to his brother, Cordelia thought sarcastically.

"So anything?" Dean asked, averting his gaze back over to the laptop in front of him. Sam shook his head diligently and Cordelia stayed silent, sipping on her coffee.

"I had 'em check the FBI's missing-persons databank. No John Does fitting Dad's description. I even ran his plates for traffic violations," Sam scoffed, frustration clear on his face as his jaw tightened.

A defeated look crossed Dean's face at his brother's words, "Sam, I'm telling you, I don't think Dad wants to be found."

Sam said nothing, but his brother could see the clear irritation on his face, so he changed the subject. "Check this out." Dean spun the laptop around so that the other two could see the screen. "There's a news item out of Planes Courier, Ankeny, Iowa. It's only about a hundred miles from here."

"Mutilated body was found near the vic's car, parked on nine-mile road," Cordelia read aloud, before bringing her drink back up to her lips. "Sad, but what's that got to do with us?"

"Keep reading," Dean gave her a knowing look as he lifted his mug to his lips.

"Authorities are unable to provide realistic description of the killer. The sole eyewitness, whose name has been withheld, is quoted saying the attacker was invisible."

"Could be something interesting," Dean offered with a small shrug, flexing the muscles in his hand that rested against the metal back of Cordelia's chair.

"Could be nothing at all," Sam argued with a shake of his head. "One freaked-out witness who didn't see anything doesn't mean it's the invisible man."

"Or they could be wearing, like, an invisibility cloak," Cordelia joked, a small smile on her face, which faltered at the looks she got from the brothers. "What? I- I like Harry Potter, sue me."

"Dork," Dean crooned, chuckling deeply against his cup. He ducked as her hand went to the back of his head, hitting him upside it. He steadied the mug in hand, trying to avoid spilling it.

"We checking it out or what?" Cordelia asked with a sigh, moving to get up from her seat.

Dean nodded and looked expectantly towards a tentative Sam. "Dad would check it out," he shrugged.

Sam sighed, more like groaned, in defeat and pushed out of his chair. "Fine," he grumbled, heading towards the car.

"Can I drive?" Cordelia questioned with a slight frown ⸻ glancing over towards the oldest Winchester brother.

"Ha!" Dean let out amusedly before his face dropped. "No."

"Ah, come on-!"

"The day you drive my car, is the day I'm on my deathbed, and that ain't happening anytime soon, sweetheart," he said, opening the driver's side door, as an amused Sam reached for the passenger side.

"That can be arranged," Cordelia began to say when an annoying buzz sounded out from her back pocket. She pulled her phone out and faltered seeing the contact name lighting up her screen.

She swallowed roughly and looked up at the two who were waiting for her to get in the car, she held up a finger in a one-second motion and walked off a little further down the street, giving herself some privacy.

She sighed and answered the call, "Hey Uncle Lee."

"Hey Cordy," he spoke, he sounded exhausted but better. Better under these circumstances, anyway. "How are you? How's Sam?"

"He's... getting there, I guess, he won't say much about... Jess," she swallowed at the name, bringing a hand up to fiddle with the necklace that sat around her neck.

"What about you? Are you doing okay?"

"I'm fine," she dismissed, but he knew she was lying. He practically raised her, he knew when she was lying, but then again, anyone with eyes could tell that she wasn't fine. "We haven't found, uh, Sam's dad or anything yet, we're thinking he might be able to find whoever did this to Jess."

On the day of Jess' funeral, Cordelia already had a conversation with her Aunt and Uncle about everything ⸻ how she was going on the road with the Winchesters to find what killed Jess because they also had a connection to what had killed her.

"Look, Cordy, if you don't want to do it, you shouldn't have to. I know you want to help, but it's not your responsibility. You got out, you can go back to Stanford-"

"You know anyone who got out that stayed out?" She questioned, more harshly than intended.

When Cordelia was in Stanford, she convinced herself that she still had a knack for hunting, she'd sneak out, kill a monster and lie to Jess about where she'd been. But now, she knew that she did it to fill a hole, maybe after Carter left she felt like she needed to do something. Now, she realised that hunting wasn't that thing.

Being a hunter back when she was at Stanford wasn't the same as it was now, back then, she had a place she could go back to, a home, she had Jess and Sam ⸻ she'd see her Aunt and Uncle on holidays, visit her brother's grave whenever she needed to talk to him. But now, it was motel after motel, diner after diner, bar after bar.

She hated it.

"No," her Uncle sighed in answer to her question. "But it doesn't hurt to try. I only want the best for you, kid. Your Dad's on the case, he's been looking-"

"Dad's working the case?" She questioned, a furrow to her brow as she kicked a lone rock on the street. Lifting her head, she looked towards the Impala, watching the two Winchesters as they talked amongst themselves ⸻ Sam looked irritated as Dean incessantly drummed his hands against the steering wheel. Her lips perked up slightly.

"Yeah, that's why he didn't show up at the funeral, he was already on the road."

Cordelia rolled her lips into her mouth, biting back a bitter comment against her father.

After talking for five more minutes, Cordelia bid goodbye to her Uncle and made her way over to the Impala with a sigh.

She wasn't sure how long she could keep doing this.

♰

The car came to a stop outside of a fraternity house, a big white townhouse where the victim lived before his death. Cordelia couldn't help but grin at the sight in front of her, frat boys were all gathered around a car, working on it when their attention was dragged away by the roar of the Impala, confused expressions laced their features.

Cordelia missed college.

The three clambered out of the car and began to head towards the group of guys gathered around the car.

"One more time, why are we here?" Sam grumbled, craning his head towards his brother.

"Victim lived here," Dean murmured lowly as they slowly trailed towards the car.

Suddenly, he stopped in place and turned around. He huffed and pursed his lips at the Moore woman, she was lent down by the side of the Impala, fluffing her hair in the wing mirror. "Oh, c'mon!" Dean scoffed, arms outstretched. "Seriously?"

Cordelia gave him a look that screamed, shut the hell up. He rolled his eyes in answer and with a shake of his head, he continued to follow after an amused Sam.

"Nice wheels," Dean offered pathetically, nodding in gesture at the car they were working on. The group of younger boys turned to the three and gave them a weird look, well, they gave Sam and Dean weird looks ⸻ they looked at Cordelia as if she were the first woman alive. "We're your fraternity brothers from... Ohio. We're new in town. Transfers. Looking for a place to stay. Mind if we take a look around?"

One of the boys nodded and dropped a greasy rag to the floor. He slowly made his way to them. "Right. I'm Derek, you guys can head on in, but... the chick's gonna have to wait out here. No girls allowed."

Cordelia scoffed lightly and shook her head. The frat boy who had said that looked as though he'd never actually seen a girl before. The way his eyes dragged up and down her body ⸻ gross.

Dean pursed his lips and looked towards Sam. The youngest Winchester gave his brother a mere look that indicated he had no idea what to do either.

Dean clicked his tongue before he took a step towards the Moore woman. "Uh, yeah, she's..." he paused, stumbling on his words before quietly muttering something under his breath. He lifted his arm and wrapped it around her shoulder, tugging her into him. She pulled a face. "She's my girlfriend, so, uh, gotta show her the new place, you know?"

♰

Once the three had made their way into the house, Cordelia tried to shrug out of Dean's hold. "Dean, you're suffocating me," Cordelia grumbled out, the Winchester glanced down at her and raised his eyebrows.

The house was as messy as you could expect, and it smelt... no, seeped of alcohol. Lone red cups were scattered around, a bra slung over the bannister, and as she glanced into the kitchen, she noticed the large pile of dirty dishes.

God, she missed college.

"C'mon, I was barely touching you," he retorted, shooting her a weird look as they walked down the hallway. He held a hand out to her and gave her a dry look when she stared at him blankly. With a scoff, he grabbed her hand and placed it in his own. "C'mon, baby."

Cordelia gave him yet another wry stare. "One, your hand is sweaty, two, don't call me that, I hate that word," she muttered.

Cordelia didn't hate pet names, but at the same time, she did. Babe, baby, baby girl, honey, all of it made her sick. She internally cringed whenever someone said that to her.

Dean gave a look of offence and looked down at his hand, which was still held in her own. He pulled his hand away and wiped it down his jacket, mumbling about how she was a bitch under his breath.

Though, she heard. She narrowed her eyes at him and whacked him upside the head.

"Such a lovin' couple," Sam grumbled under his breath sarcastically ⸻ he glanced around for a second before knocking on the open door.

Cordelia pursed her lips, expression full of confusion as they faced a shirtless boy, bright yellow shorts clad on his body whilst his face and chest were painted purple.

"Who are you?" The guy asked, glancing up at the three.

"We're your new roommates," Dean nodded in greeting before gesturing towards himself and Sam.

"Who's the chick?" The guy smirked, looking in Cordelia's direction.

Her eyebrows rose as he looked her up and down, she internally shuddered, she was being checked out by a deformed smurf, kill me now, she thought.

"Cordelia," she answered simply, a grimaced smile accompanying her face.

"Mhm, do me a favour? Get my back. Big game today," he smiled sardonically, holding out a paintbrush to her.

Cordelia pulled a face, visibly showing her disgust. "No," she spoke, moving to sit in the chair in the corner.

"He's the artist," Dean interjected, stopping the weird tension that had arisen due to Cordelia's blunt tone. "Things he can do with a brush..."

Sam gave his brother a hard stare, the oldest brother merely shrugged, a smug smirk held on his lips. He moved over towards Cordelia, and nudged her, gesturing for her to move.

"Seriously!?" She whispered-shouted up to him, frown etched upon her face.

"Leg cramp," he shrugged, but she didn't budge. So, he took hold of her hand and pulled her up. She scoffed as he took the seat, but then, he did something weird.

He spread out in the chair and pulled her back down, sitting her on his left thigh, so that she was facing Sam and the purple frat boy. Her legs slipped between his spread ones and his hand moved to her thigh.

Right, they were playing boyfriend and girlfriend; the two most emotionally-unavailable people out there.

She craned her head towards him, trying to flag down any possible sign of... something on his face, but he paid no mind. Instead, he picked up a magazine that was laid out on the small table beside the armchair. Cordelia, by no means, was a flustered virgin ⸻ let's get one thing straight, Cordelia could be as much a whore as Dean, but this guy... this stupid, cocky bastard made her stomach flutter.

Cordelia pulled a face. This is weird, she thought to herself. Sure, she'd been through her fair share of guys, but none made her feel weird tingly stomach things. Although, that might've been different. I mean, with those guys, she didn't know them, they'd meet and boom. Sex.

They could be whoever her mind conjured up, or they could be nobody at all. But Dean, she knew him, well, she liked to think she knew him after two months. When you know someone, it's harder to separate that.

God, she needed to get laid and soon ⸻ she was turning crazy.

"So... Murph, is it true?" Dean asked, looking up at the guy as Sam, who looked extremely irritated, began painting Murph's body.

"What?" The guy questioned, looking at Dean through the mirror.

"We heard one of the guys around here got killed last week," Dean said, the boy in front of him practically deflated at the Winchester's words.

"Yeah," he sighed, turning around the face Dean, his face solum.

"What happened?" Sam questioned, tightening his jaw in annoyance as he worked the paintbrush up and down Murph's back.

"They're saying some psycho with a knife, maybe a drifter passin' through. Rich was a good guy," Murph explained, swallowing roughly as he spoke about his friend.

"Rich was with somebody?" Sam asked, glancing over at the other two ⸻ holding in an eye roll at the mere sight of them.

He knew they were only pretending to be together, but it was weird as hell, his best friend and his brother, not something he ever, ever wanted to see again.

"Not just somebody. Lori Sorenson," Murph spoke, a sudden grin overtaking his face.

Cordelia pulled a face at the expression etched upon his features, it was as though he expected them to know who she was, like she was famous or someone important; like Beyoncé.

She couldn't help but let an amused smile creep on her lips, leaning down, her lips brushed the shell of Dean's ear, he could feel how her mouth had formed into a smile. "Oh my God, Lori Sorenson," she mocked in a hushed whisper.

The Winchester let out a snort at her words and patted her thigh before his hand flexed, squeezing it slightly.

"Who's Lori Sorenson?" Dean questioned, glancing up at the pair before his eyes flickered with amusement and a smirk pulled at his lips, he lifted the hand that was on Cordelia's leg and pointed over to them. "You missed a spot ⸻ just down there... on the back."

Sam gave his brother a seething glare, but with a huff of annoyance and a quiet scoff, he went back to painting Murph.

"Lori's a freshman, she's a local. Super hot," he breathed out. "And get this ⸻ she's a reverend's daughter."

Cordelia wanted to punch the smirk right off of his face.

Men.

"You wouldn't happen to know which church, would ya?"

♰

Cordelia had to admit, it was a cute little church ⸻ but she didn't want to go inside. She wasn't even sure if she could walk into a church looking like she did. The majority of the time, Cordelia looked like a hooker.

She was never the religious type, but she had prayed three times, and three times alone, she was not heard. The first was when her brother died, the second, her mother, and her last and final time was when Jess died ⸻ she asked for some guidance, some advice to help her find who did this to her cousin, her best friend. But nothing. Maybe there wasn't a God after all.

"-And my personal prayers of thanks go out, as well, because I believe he died trying to protect my daughter, and now, as time heals all our wounds, we should reflect on what this tragedy means," the reverend spoke solemnly, but the peaceful atmosphere, as well as his sentence, was interrupted when the large, heavy brown door slammed shut behind the three hunters.

Cordelia pursed her lips at the silence that arose. She swallowed roughly as the whole room turned to them at the interruption.

Awkwarddd.

Cordelia gave a coy smile in the direction of the reverend in apology before she shoved the two brothers to take a seat in the back.

"As a community," the reverend continued, shifting his eyes away from the three, "and as a family. The loss of a young person is particularly tragic. A life unlived is the saddest of passings. So, please, let us pray... for peace, for guidance and for the power to protect our children."

As everyone bowed their head, one did not. Cordelia huffed, craning her head slightly to glance up at Dean. Lifting her hand, she grabbed the back of his head and forced his eyes onto the ground.

He huffed like a child.

After the sermon was finished, the three made their way outside and immediately spotted Lori, or who they hoped to be Lori. The three made their way towards the dirty blonde, who was waving her friend off.

"That's her, right?" Sam asked, looking down at Cordelia in question ⸻ though she didn't know why he was asking her, she was just as clueless as he was.

"Gotta be," she shrugged in answer anyway. With a smile plastered on her face, she came to a stop in front of the girl. "Hi, are you Lori?"

"Yeah," the girl answered with a nod, but she couldn't hide the confusion that flitted in her eyes.

"My name is Sam, this is my brother, Dean," the Winchester pointed to his brother before nodding over at the Moore. "That's Cordelia. We just transferred here to the university."

"Yeah, I saw you inside," she nodded, fiddling with the bag slung over her shoulder, a sweet smile pulled at her lips as she looked up at Sam.

Cordelia's eyes flickered between the two.

"We don't wanna bother you, we just... heard about what happened. We wanted to say how sorry we were. I kinda know what you're going through." At Sam's words, Cordelia's hand reached up and grasped the necklace hung around her neck. "I- I saw someone get hurt once. It's something you don't forget."

Suddenly, the reverend made his way over, placing a hand on his daughter's shoulder. She spun around in surprise but smiled when she saw who it was. "Dad, um, this is Sam, Dean and Cordelia. They're new students."

Dean stuck his hand out, "Pleasure to meet you, sir. I must say that was an inspiring sermon."

"Thank you very much," the reverend nodded in thanks, pulling his hand away from Dean's. "It's so nice to find young people who are open to the Lord's message."

Allowing Sam to talk to Lori alone, and hoping to get some kind of information, Cordelia angled her head towards the reverend and gave him a sweet smile.

"We were actually hoping to catch you after the sermon," she began, grasping Dean's arm to drag him away, he stumbled in place slightly but soon followed after her.

"Yeah," he cleared his throat, understanding what she was doing. "We're looking for a... a church group."

♰

"So you believe her?" Dean questioned his brother, briefly glancing back at him with raised eyebrows as they walked through the campus library.

"I do," Sam nodded softly.

"Hey, I think she's hot, too," Dean smirked, giving his brother a suggestive look.

Sam scoffed at the words that left his brother's mouth, "No, man, there's something in her eyes."

"What? A sparkle every time she looks at you?" Cordelia teased, Dean let out a laugh and pointed towards her in agreement. "She has a crush on you, Sammy, she was eyeing you up like hell outside."

"Dude, she's right," Dean nodded, going to say something else when he abruptly stopped, turning down an aisle as something caught his eye.

Sam rolled his eyes at the pair but shook off their words, "And listen to this, she heard scratching on the roof. Found the bloody body suspended upside down over the car."

Dean turned around to face his brother swiftly before he stopped in place, causing Cordelia to crash into the taller brother. He gave her a look and steadied her by placing both hands on her shoulder.

"Bloody body suspended?" Dean murmured to himself under his breath, thinking about something as he ran his tongue over his teeth. "That sounds like-"

"Some kinky shit," Cordelia interjected, eyebrows jumping up.

The two brothers gave her a deadpanned look, Sam cleared his throat with a shake of his head, "Or, the Hook Man legend."

"We're dealing with the friggin' Hook Man?!" Cordelia snapped before she leant back against the bookshelf behind her. "Seriously?!"

"Dude, that's one of the most famous urban legends ever. You don't think we're dealing with the Hook Man?" Dean questioned, he, too, was unsure about this.

"Every urban legend has a source, a place where it all began," Sam shrugged in reply.

"Yeah, but what about the scratches and the tire punctures and the invisible killer?"

"Like I said, invisibility cloak," Cordelia nodded to herself at her own words as she began to trail down the aisle.

Dean gave her a weird look, "Dork."

Not even two minutes later, the three were seated in the library, waiting for the librarian to bring over the last of the boxes that they had asked for.

Cordelia yawned as she pulled off her jacket, however, she failed to notice Dean's wandering eye as he checked her out. Sam, however, noticed. He looked down at the table before his brows furrowed and he glanced up with wide eyes, he smacked his brother on the arm.

Dean pulled a face in confusion before realisation flickered through his eyes, he smiled sheepishly and mouthed a "what?" over to his brother with a shrug.

As Cordelia slung her jacket over the spare seat on the table, her head lifted into a smile as she noticed the librarian headed their way, a large cardboard box in hand.

"Here you go, arrest records going back to eighteen-fifty-one," she grunted out, placing the final box in front of them.

"Thanks," Dean smiled up at her before blowing the small layer of dust that had settled on the box, a small cough spluttered from his lips at the action.

"Okay," the woman breathed out, smiling as she walked off. Dean's head turned around, following after her, eyes dropping to something before he caught sight of another girl, she walked by, books in hand and smiled over at the Winchester.

Cordelia looked up at him, eyes following where he was looking. A weird expression painted across her features before she kicked his leg harshly, "Concentrate, these files aren't gonna read themselves."

Dean cleared his throat and looked down at the boxes, a grimace accompanying his face. "This is how you two spent four good years of your life, huh?"

"Me, yeah," Sam nodded in answer, a grin creeping on his lips. "Cordy spent it getting drunk. Always stole my notes 'cause she was too hungover to do them herself."

"Welcome to higher education," she crooned, flipping the box lid open.

Cordelia pulled out a file and sifted through the papers, eyes skimming the words. The first few folders, she flew through within twenty minutes and was already bored.

As the hours flew by, multiple boxes were searched, Sam's voice pulled Cordelia awake, "Hey, check this out. Eighteen-sixty-two. A preacher named Jacob Karns was arrested for murder. Looks like he was so angry over the red-light district in town that one night he killed thirteen prostitutes. Some of the deceased were found in their beds, sheets soaked with blood, others suspended upside down from the limbs of trees as a warning against sins of the flesh."

Cordelia got up from her seat and came to a stand behind Sam, she leant over his shoulder and picked a sheet of old-looking paper up as it caught her eye. "Guy lost his hand in an accident... look what it was replaced with."

"A silver hook," Dean sighed, eyebrows jumping as he took the sheet of paper out of Cordelia's hand.

She looked up and pulled a face, snatching the parchment back, "Dude."

Sam rolled his eyes but dismissed the pair as he continued, "Look where all this happened."

"Nine-mile road," Cordelia said under her breath.

"Same place where the frat boy was killed."

A proud smile pulled at Dean's lips as he craned his head towards his brother, "Nice job, Dr. Venkman. Let's check it out."

♰

Cordelia sat in the back of the Impala, lips pursed in thought as they trailed down the rocky road. "How'd you think he lost his hand anyway? Fight with a croc?.. Get it? 'Cause Captain Hook has a hook?"

Both brothers ignored her quip, she rolled her eyes and slumped further into her seat.

"Okay, we're here," Dean announced, stopping the car as he did so. The three clambered out of the car and headed to the trunk.

He handed both Sam and Cordelia a rifle. The brunette girl shifted the gun in her palms and opened up the magazine. "If it is a spirit buck shot won't do much good," Sam voiced as he glanced down at the weapon in hand.

"Yeah, rock salt," Dean said, a smirk pulling at his lips as he showed Sam a bullet cartridge.

"Huh, salt being a spirit deterrent," Sam mumbled under his breath.

As Dean reached into the trunk once again, he pulled out a coil of rope before slamming the trunk shut, "Yeah, it won't kill 'em, but it'll slow 'em down."

"That's pretty good," Sam complimented, following after his brother. "You and Dad think of this?"

"I told you, you don't have to be a college graduate to be a genius," Dean grinned, glancing back at his brother before his eyes flitted over to the Moore woman, who rolled her eyes.

"You Powerpuff Girls done? Can we get on with this or you ladies wanna chit-chat a little longer?" She asked, voice low as she glanced over at the pair.

The Winchesters said nothing, only sharing a mere look before the oldest brother mocked her words under his breath.

Cordelia spun around, pulling an expectant face, hearing his hushed, grumbled words, but her face soon dropped as Dean's fell into a hardened one as a rustle in the trees was heard.

Cordelia lowered her gun ⸻ her mind went straight to the cops. They'd most likely be watching this area now that a murder had occurred and being caught with two guns let alone one, was not on Cordelia's bucket list.

Thankfully, Cordelia had left her window open and after putting the safety on, she smoothly slid it through the window, letting it hit the backseat.

She went to reach for the silver knife folded up in her pocket, but was ever-so-rudely interrupted by the loud voice that boomed at the three, "Put the gun down now! Now! Put your hands behind your head! Now get down on your knees. Come on, do it! On your knees!"

Slowly Cordelia dropped to her knees, but not without cursed complaints being mumbled under her breath. The boys followed her actions.

"We'll be fine, huh?" Cordelia grumbled lowly, craning her head towards Dean. The Winchester sent her an irritated look.

She had voiced how coming here wasn't such a good idea because cops were probably combing the place and Dean brushed it off, saying they'd be fine ⸻ oh, but look, she was right, again.

"Hey! No talking!" The sheriff called out, gun trained at Cordelia as he heard her murmured words. "Get down on your bellies. Come on, do it!"

"He had the gun!"

♰

The next morning the three hunters exited the sheriff's station and Cordelia turned to Dean, stopping abruptly she placed a hand on his chest. "What the hell did you tell them? They were looking at me like shit on the bottom of their shoes."

Dean grinned and looked between the two expectant brunettes, "I saved your asses. Talked the sheriff down to a fine. I'm Matlock."

Cordelia pursed her lips and pulled a face, running her tongue over her teeth she tilted her head, "Still doesn't explain what you said to them."

"Told him Sam was a dumbass pledge, and that we were hazing him," he laughed, moving to walk off towards the Impala, expecting the pair to follow him, he continued talking. "Told him I was trying to get into Cordy's pants, said she's got a thing for guys with nice cars. Must've thought she was easy, cause he believed me."

The cocky, smug smile on Dean's face dropped as she whacked him harshly upside the head. Just as she was about to argue, Sam covered her mouth and gave her a look, getting back onto the more serious conversation at hand. "What about the shotgun? Ew ⸻ dude, don't lick me," Sam drew his hand back, face pulled into a grimace as he wiped his hand down his jacket.

"Don't smother me," Cordelia shot back.

"I said you were hunting ghosts and spirits are repelled by rock salt, you know, typical hell week prank," Dean answered Sam's question, turning his head slightly before he began crossing the road.

"And he believed you?" Sam furrowed his brows sceptically.

"Well, you look like a dumbass pledge," Dean teased, only to be interrupted by several fumbling police officers who ran out of the Sheriff's Station, the door hitting the wall with a loud slam.

Cordelia's eyebrow quirked as they all jumped into police cars before speeding away. "How much do you wanna bet that that's got something to do with a hook?"

"I'm not making another bet with you, Cordelia," Dean shook his head as he pulled open the car door.

"Didn't take you for a sore loser, Dean."

♰

    As the Impala rolled to a stop around the corner from the sorority house, the three clambered out, they quietly shut the doors, well, all but Dean ⸻ Cordelia turned and gave him a look, he merely pulled a face and shrugged.

Asshole.

The hunters moved over to climb the broken brick wall, Dean jumped the wall first, followed by Cordelia, but as the Winchester did, the dirt from the floor ground flung back at Cordelia. "These are new fucking jeans, Dean," Cordelia huffed, brushing her legs before she lifted her hand and brushed the dirt down his jacket.

First, rent-a-cop made me lie on the dirt, now Dean was flinging this crap at me? Kill me now, she thought to herself with a scowl, watching as the Winchester turned around, and looked down at the jacket, her, and then the jacket.

"Cordelia, I swear to-"

"Why do you two have to be like this?" Sam grumbled as he climbed up the wall. "Can't you be normal for two fucking seconds?"

"Impossible to be normal when your brother is a fucking-"

"What, Cordelia, what?" Dean spun around, eyebrows raised as he looked down at her.

"A sarcastic bastard with no manners!"

"No manners? I have manners," Dean scoffed, turning to walk off, but pulled a face as he did, knowing that he, indeed, has no manners.

Cordelia clicked her tongue and was about to say something when Sam grabbed her by the shoulders and pushed her forward to walk.

"No, no talking, just walking," he muttered to her, pushing her closer to the house before she shrugged him off.

How was it that he was the youngest here, yet he was the most mature. He was stuck, basically babysitting, two childish hunters. Sometimes he had to sit and ask himself, what the fuck is my life?

As the three slowly approached the back of the house, they kept close to the wall ⸻ trying to avoid being spotted by the cops down the driveway, who were talking to some college students, taking down witness statements.

"Why would the Hook Man come here? This is a long way from nine-mile road," Sam inquired, keeping his voice low.

"Maybe he's not haunting the scene of his crime, maybe it's about something else," Dean offered with a shrug. Just then, two girls exited the house by the side entrance, the three pressed their bodies up against the side of the building, concealing themselves from the girls.

"Dude, sorority girls. Think we'll see a naked pillow fight?" Dean questioned his brother, too busy staring at the girls with a cheeky grin on his face, to notice that Sam had already started to climb up onto the balcony.

Cordelia pursed her lips and craned her head towards where he was looking before she turned to him, eyes focused on his side profile, "Why does your brain always go to something like that? When a group of girls hang out, most of the time we aren't naked, you know?"

"M- Most of the time?" Dean whirled around in question, but she was already climbing up towards the balcony. As she reached the top, she swung a leg over the railing, straddling it, before swinging her other leg around.

Dean quickly followed after the pair, as his feet hit the white concrete, he watched Sam pull open the window, the window which led to a walk-in closet.

Cordelia pulled a face as she watched Sam dive into the window, he turned around once he got his footing and waited expectantly for her.

"I'm not an ape," she scoffed, swinging one leg over, into the room. She leant forward, pushing her head through first, but as she did so, it gave Dean a view of sorts.

"Huh, nice tattoo," he complimented, eyes settled on her lower back.

Cordelia shot him her middle finger before stumbling into the room, though once she got her footing, a solid body hit her and she tripped, hitting one of the shelves.

"Sorry," Dean grinned up at her, pulling himself up from the ground.

"Hey, be quiet," Sam whisper-shouted from the other end of the closet, as he cautiously looked around.

"Me be quiet? You be quiet," Dean shot back, turning around to pull the window shut.

"How about both of you shut the hell up?" Cordelia whispered over at them in a hushed tone, sending them a stern look as she neared the door.

Looking through the small gap between the door and the wall, she watched as the lone cop in the room took one last glance around before leaving. She waited a couple of seconds before quietly pushing the door open.

She sucked in a harsh breath at the sight before her. Cordelia had seen a lot, sure, but that still didn't take away how her stomach churned when she did.

Blood was splattered everywhere, the walls, the bedside table, the floor. It pooled on the bedsheets and Cordelia's face scrunched. It was disgusting, even more so disturbing, especially the crimson words that were scratched into the wall ⸻ by Cordelia's guess, the hook was used to do it.

"Aren't you glad you didn't turn on the light?" Sam read the words carved into the wall aloud, brows furrowing. "That's right out of the legend."

"Yeah, that's classic Hook Man, alright. It's definitely a spirit," Dean said, tapping his nose twice before he pulled a face regarding the horrible smell that floated across the room.

"Yeah, I've never smelled ozone this strong before," Sam huffed out, eyes flitting from the wall and over to Cordelia, watching as she made her way over to the victim's vanity. He rolled his eyes as she bent down and reached for her hair. His hand shot up and backhanded Dean as he noticed where his eyes were.

"Dude," Sam grumbled, whacking him on the arm, Dean shrugged carelessly and a cheeky grin accompanied his lips.

Cordelia rolled her eyes at the pair behind her before she averted her gaze to the window, watching as the cops talked to some of the sorority girls from the house. Though she was startled when she felt Dean's presence behind her, "Bloody Ma-"

She had never whirled around so fast in her life.

Slapping a hand over his mouth, her eyes widened and she gave him a hard stare. "Don't even."

He held his hands up in surrender, but that boyish smile was still clear on his face. As he took a few steps back, Cordelia sent him an irritated look before averting her gaze to the wall once again.

Her eyes settled on the symbol that was scratched underneath the crimson words. Her brows furrowed slightly as she took a step closer, legs brushing the police tape that boarded off the area of the crime.

"Isn't that the thing on the thingy?" She asked with a tilt of her head, finger prodded in the direction of the bloody symbol.

Dean pursed his lips and gave her a sarcastic look. "The thing on the thingy," he mocked, patting her on the shoulder sardonically. "Real helpful, Cordy, thanks."

"Bite me."

♰

After confirming that the symbol on the wall was the thing on the thingy ( it dangled from the hook of Jacob Karns ), they soon learnt that Jacob Karns was buried in an unmarked grave, making their job a whole lot easier... not.

They then also concluded that this was all connected to the sweet Lori Sorenson ⸻ which led them to where they went next.

A frat party.

The music was loud in her ears and thumped in her chest, bright flashing lights illuminated the house full of drunk college students. Cordelia knew she was supposed to be working, but she couldn't help herself, this was her element.

Cordelia thrived in college parties, but she knew Sam would be pissed.

As pissed he was, Sam stood in the main room watching his best friend with a shake of his head. She was dancing with a boy, a bottle of an unintelligible clear liquid in hand, knowing her, Sam guessed it was tequila.

But he couldn't stay mad at her, he knew they had a job, but this was the most herself she had seemed after everything, after Jess.

Sam smiled slightly before it dropped as his eyes fell on Dean, who was walking toward him. "Man, you've been holdin' out on me. This college thing is awesome!" Dean grinned, glancing around as he made eyes at every female that was in his eyeline.

"This wasn't really my experience," Sam mumbled to Dean, his eyes on Cordelia as he watched her tongue drag across a frat boy's neck, a lime in hand. Sam grimaced, gross.

"Let me guess... library, studying, straight As," Dean listed in a mocking tone, looking at his brother expectantly, Sam pulled a face before nodding, and Dean slowly shook his head and glanced around. "What a geek. Alright, you do your homework?"

"Yeah, it was bugging me, right? So how was the Hook Man tied up with Lori? So, I think I came up with somethin'," Sam replied, unravelling a piece of paper he had pulled from his pocket as he headed towards Cordelia, who was still occupied with the frat boy.

Dean snatched the paper out of his brother's hands and began reading aloud, eyes briefly flicking up in search for the brunette, "Nineteen-thirty-two, Clergyman arrested for murder. Nineteen-sixty-seven, Seminarian held in a hippie rampage."

"There's a pattern here, in both cases the suspect was a man of religion who openly preached against immorality. And then found himself wanted for killings he claimed were the work of an invisible force. Killings carried out ⸻ get this ⸻ with a sharp instrument."

Dean's brows screwed together slightly, "What's the connection to Lori?"

"A man of religion who openly preaches against immorality... except, maybe this time, instead of saving the whole town, he's trying to save his only daughter," Sam explained.

"Reverend Sorenson," Dean nodded in understanding. "Do you think he's summoning the spirit?"

Sam lifted his shoulders in a small shrug. "Maybe," he breathed out, glancing around the room, spotting the brunette girl. "Or you know how a poltergeist can haunt a person instead of a place?"

"Yeah, the spirit latches onto the reverend's repressed emotions, feeds off them, yeah, okay," Dean mumbled.

"Without the reverend even knowing it."

Dean thought for a moment before speaking up, a teasing glint shone in his eyes, "Either way, you should keep an eye on Lori tonight."

Sam nodded in agreement, before asking, "What about you?"

Dean glanced back into the the crowd of people, eyeing a blonde, his face fell and he pursed his lips. "I'm gonna go see if I can find that unmarked grave," he mumbled, tone implying he was not happy with the idea before his brows furrowed. "Where the hell is Cordy anyway? She kinda disappeared when we got here."

Sam pursed his lips before nodding over to the Moore woman. Dean followed his eye line before he pulled a face, watching as she talked to this guy, real close to his face, too close, actually.

Dean grumbled unintelligible things under his breath before he walked over there, leaving an amused Sam behind.

Cordelia smiled up at this guy ( she didn't know his name, he had told her, but she just ignored him, she needed a distraction, she didn't need to get to know him ), she fiddled with the fabric of his t-shirt as he leant down to whisper something in her ear. Her smile dropped and her eyes rolled, but as he pulled away, facing her, she put that same charming smile back on her lips and he was none the wiser... men.

Before he or she could say more, a loud clearing of a throat was heard. She pursed her lips and looked up at the ceiling ⸻ great, just the person she was trying to forget about.

She turned to face him and narrowed her eyes, he was staring down at her, jaw clenched, irritation clear on his face. He can't get mad at her for flirting on the job, he does it too!

"Dude, can I help you?" The frat boy Cordelia was cosying up to spoke up, face dropping into a scowl.

Dean didn't even bother looking in his direction, he just looked down at Cordelia with an expectant look on his face. When she realised that he wasn't going to say anything, she took a step towards him, glared at him, and lowered her voice, "You mind?"

"No, I don't mind," he shrugged, a smug grin creeping on his lips. "We've got work to do, c'mon."

Cordelia put her drink down at his words, the hunt came first, she knew that, but she couldn't help but tease. "We're allowed to have fun once in a while. That's what you said, right?" She repeated his own words back to him.

She had no intention of having fun with the frat boy who had seemed to wander off, but she just wanted to give Dean a taste of his own medicine. After all, most of the time it was Cordelia and Sam hanging around, waiting for him to finish up with his conquest of the week so that they could get on with the case.

Plus, if sleeping with the first boy in sight meant dismissing these weird feelings for Dean ⸻ she'd do it.

Dean opened and closed his mouth, trying to think of something to say, but his lips rolled into his mouth, "I, uh, I did say that, yeah."

"Uh huh," Cordelia nodded, giving him a pointed stare before she grabbed the random feather boa that had, at some point in the night, been strewn across her neck, and tossed it aside. "Alright, let's go," she said, walking ahead only to turn to face him with a frown. "Where are we going?"

"To go dig up a preacher," Dean answered, a sarcastic smile on his face.

"Super."

♰

Dean grumbled as he and Cordelia clambered out of the Impala. It wasn't a long drive to the cemetery, ten minutes or so ⸻ but it was ten minutes of Cordelia yapping on and on.

How Sam put up with her for three years straight, he'd never know.

The Winchester handed her a flashlight and they made their way through the cemetery. Cordelia mumbled a "thanks," and turned to look at the brooding man.

She rolled her eyes at his grumpy state but didn't comment. He was probably pissed as she spent the entire duration of the car ride insulting his music.

She kept walking, flashing her torch at any headstone in passing. As she began to stray away, a hand clamped onto her jacket and tugged her.

"Here," Dean stated, nodding down at the headstone in front of him. Cordelia looked down at it, spotting the same cross symbol that was engraved into the wall as well as attached to the hook.

Cordelia dropped the duffle bag to the ground and sighed.

They were in for a fun night.

Around half an hour later, Dean looked up at the brunette with a glare. She was stood by the grave, looking down at Dean, watching him with a smug smile on her face.

"You could help, you know?" He huffed out sarcastically, dropping the shovel to the ground to shrug his jacket off of his shoulders.

"Dean," she sighed, reaching down to take the jacket from his hands. "I exorcize demons, I do the research, I cheat guys out of money... but one thing I will never do is dig up a grave. I'm sorry, but there's bugs and crap down there and it smells."

Dean huffed, but said nothing, only shaking his head as he picked up the shovel and began digging again, muscles flexing beneath his t-shirt.

Cordelia's face pulled into one of appreciation. "Besides, watching you do it is..." she sucked in a harsh breath. "Fine by me."

Dean looked up at her and his annoyance was wiped off of his face, a smirk pulled at his lips, "Cordelia Moore are you flirtin' with me?"

She merely lifted her shoulders into a shrug and continued watching him, he let out a chuckle at her action, and the deep vibrations reverberated through her.

God, he's hot.

Cordelia was unsure of how long went by, but eventually, Dean's shovel hit wood. The coffin. Dean broke the wood with the tip of the shovel and stared down at the remains. "Hello, preacher," he crooned.

Cordelia shared a wide grin with the Winchester and crouched down, pulling open the duffle she grabbed the salt and lighter fluid.

Coming to a stand again, she waited for Dean to climb out from the grave. She eyed him carefully, his face and body drenched with sweat, but it only did wonders for him ( and for Cordelia ), his hair stuck to his forehead and his grey t-shirt stuck to his toned stomach.

Oh.

Dean reached for the items in Cordelia's hand, but she pulled away. "Since you did all the hard work," she smiled, but Dean narrowed his eyes at her.

She began to pour the salt into the grave, followed by the lighter fluid, and finally, tossed a match into the grave, watching as it all shot up in flames.

"Goodbye, preacher," Dean sang, pursing his lips, eyes flitting over to the brunette. "Hey, wanna go have victory sex?"

Cordelia's brows furrowed and she gave him a dry look, "Why do you do this? I mean... seriously?"

Dean rolled his lips into his mouth and lifted his hand to the back of his neck, "Is that a no?"

"Is that a- oh my God, stop talking, please."

♰

Shortly after they burnt the remains of the preacher, they had made their way back to the car and it wasn't long before Cordelia had fallen asleep.

Dean had gotten a call from Sam, telling him to meet him at the hospital, he said nothing else except that he was fine and to meet him there the next morning.

Dean drove over but didn't get out of the car. He figured she needed sleep. Cordelia, like Sam, hadn't been sleeping much ⸻ so he thought it best to let her get some rest. Besides, if she was sleeping she couldn't annoy him.

Eventually, Sam messaged Dean, telling him that he was about to speak to the cops ⸻ now was probably a good time to go.

So, Dean clambered out of the car and headed off somewhere, by the time he returned, he held a paper cup of coffee in hand. His knuckle rasped against the passenger side door and Cordelia woke up with a stifled yawn and a banging headache.

"Where are we?" Cordelia grumbled, pushing the door open, she took the paper cup in hand with a small smile and a, "Thanks."

"Hospital," Dean stated as he led her inside. "Sam called, somethin' happened, my guess is with Lori. He spent the night here," the hunter wiggled his eyebrows suggestively.

Cordelia snorted, taking a sip out of her drink. As they walked down the hallway, two officers stood at the end of the hall, blocking the pair from entering.

"No, it's alright. We're with him," Dean tried to push passed them, pointing towards the younger brunet, but the officers wouldn't budge. "That's my brother. Hey! Brother!"

Cordelia cringed at the volume of his voice and the bright, wide grin on his face as he waved over at Sam. The youngest Winchester and the Sheriff looked over at the sudden noise.

The Sheriff rolled his eyes and sighed. "Let 'em through," he stated, waving his hand in gesture of doing so.

"Thanks," Dean grunted out as the officers peeled their hands off of him, as the two walked ahead he pulled a face and fixed his jacket. "Cops," he muttered under his breath in irritation.

"You alright?" Cordelia asked Sam as he approached them, eyes flitting up and down his figure in search of injury.

"Yeah," Sam nodded, with a small smile on his lips.

"The hell happened?" Dean asked as they headed further down the hallway for some privacy.

"Hook Man," Sam gritted out, rounding his brother so that he was facing him, causing the three to come to an abrupt stop in the hall.

"Sorry, what? You saw him?" Cordelia exclaimed, confusion written across her face.

"Damn right, why didn't you torch the bones?"

"What you talkin' about? We did," Dean shot back. "Are you sure it's the spirit of Jacob Karns?"

"Sure as hell looked like him," Sam shrugged, taking a cautious glance over Dean's shoulder, finding the Sheriff staring at them suspiciously. "And that's not all. I don't think the spirit is latching onto the reverend."

"Well, yeah, the guy wouldn't send the Hook Man after himself." Dean pointed out, glancing over into the room where the reverend lay.

"I think it's latching onto Lori. Last night she found out that her father is havin' an affair with a married woman," Sam began to explain but Dean shrugged, not understanding what he was getting at.

"So what?"

"So... she won't like the immorality of it," Cordelia stated, catching on to what Sam was trying to say.

"She told me she was raised to believe that if you do something wrong, you get punished," Sam nodded.

"Okay, so, she's conflicted and the spirit of preacher Karns is latching onto her repressed emotions and maybe he's doing the punishing for her, huh?" Dean stated, a proud smile on his face as he figured out what was going on.

"Right. Rich comes on too strong, Taylor tries to make her into a party girl, Dad has an affair," Sam listed.

"Remind me not to piss this girl off," Dean grumbled under his breath, pulling a face.

"Or any girl," Cordelia added, sending him a pointed stare.

Cordelia had been that vengeful girl before... Carter would know. Thank God she never had to see him again, she didn't want to have that awkward conversation about what happened to all of his clothes and why were they all cut to pieces, or why his tyres were slashed and windows put through. She may have also stolen his old records and sold them, she wasn't not proud of it, I mean, she bought a helluva a lot of stuff with that money.

"Alright, we burned those bones. She buried them in a pile of fuckin' salt," Dean retorted, growing irritated as this case was soon turning into a pain in the ass. "Why didn't that stop him?"

At his question, Cordelia thought for a moment. Her eyes widened and her lips dropped into an o shape. Sam turned to face her, due to how quiet she was being, and his face dropped at the expression on hers.

"What?" He asked dryly, huffing as he did so.

Cordelia kissed her teeth before pursing her lips, "Uh, I didn't see a hook in there."

Dean turned to her and glared at her, "You didn't say anything!"

"I'm sorry, did you? You were there too, Dean."

"Yeah, but-"

"But what?"

"Can you two just... stop it. Fuck me. You're like little kids," Sam scoffed, rubbing a hand down his face in irritation before he cleared his throat as the pair glanced at one another and back down to the floor. "So, if we find the hook..."

"We stop the Hook Man."

♰

The three arrived back at the library fairly quickly ⸻ not surprising, though, seeing as Dean drove as though he was in a Fast and Furious movie. One day, Cordelia was going to throw up in that backseat.

Cordelia slapped Dean's hand away as he dragged the big, old book from her hands and over to him. "I was reading that," she snapped, glancing over at him with an annoyed look painted across her features.

"You read too slow," Dean retorted, not looking up from the book as he flickered through the pages, looking for something to do with the Hook Man.

"Asshole," she scoffed, getting up from her seat to shift through the box of files, after acquiring one, she moved back to sit down, not without whacking Dean over the head with the file in the process.

"Cordelia, I swear to fuckin-"

"Stop," Sam grumbled, grabbing Dean's head to shove him back in the direction of the book in front of him.

"Here's somethin' I think," Dean said after a couple of minutes, plucking the pen from between his lips, drawing Cordelia's eyes to his mouth at the action. He dropped the pen to the desk and rolled up the selves of his burgundy flannel. "Uh, logbook, Iowa State Penitentiary. Karns, Jacob ⸻ personal affects, disposition thereof..."

"Does it mention the hook?" Cordelia asked, dragging her eyes from the book in front of her, and over to Dean's, her head tilted as she tried to read the words on the page but they were scribbled on so small you'd have to have twenty-twenty vision to read it.

"Maybe," Dean shrugged, reading the words aloud, "Upon execution, all earthly items shall be remanded to the prisoner's house of worship, St. Barnabas Church."

"Isn't that where Lori's father preaches?" Sam questioned, furrowing his brows.

"Maybe that's why the Hook Man's been haunting reverends' and reverends' daughters for the past two hundred years," Dean shrugged, tapping his pen against the table, agitation clear.

"Yeah, but wouldn't have someone seen a big, fat fucking hook covered in blood?" Cordelia grumbled, closing the book in front of her before she fell back in her seat with a sigh of defeat.

"Check the church records," Dean shrugged, getting out of his seat to do just that.

After about an hour or so of coming up with nothing, Cordelia finally found something. Her eyes lit up, and she pushed her body up from the bookcase she was leant against.

"St. Barnabas donations, eighteen-sixty-two," Cordelia began to say, moving over to the table where the boys sat, she placed the book down in front of them. "They received a silver-handled hook from state penitentiary," she sighed. "They melted it down into something else."

"Breaking in, it is," Dean nodded, moving to get up from where he sat.

"Breaking into a church?" Cordelia's brows furrowed. "We're all going to hell."

♰

The Impala pulled up outside the church and the three all got out, Dean grabbed his duffle as he did so. As they headed closer to the church, Dean spoke up, "Alright. We can't take any chances. Anything silver goes in the fire."

"I agree," Sam breathed out with a nod. "Lori's still at the hospital, we'll have to break in."

"Alright, take your pick," Dean gestured between the church and the Sorenson residence.

"I'll take the house," Sam answered, nodding his head in the direction of the house.

"Okay, looks like you're with me, sweetheart," a smirk pulled at Dean's lips and he swung his arm around her shoulder, only to have her shrug it off.

"I've been around you too much for one day, I'll go with Sam, make sure he doesn't, you know, peak through her underwear draw," she teased, the youngest Winchester gave her a flat look and dragged her towards the house with a, "fuck you," being sent her way.

As the pair discreetly ran over to Lori's, Cordelia crouched by the door and picked the lock. Once they were inside, Cordelia turned to look at the brunet, "I'll take upstairs, yeah?"

"Yeah," Sam nodded before running off do so.

Cordelia ran up the stairs and started with the bedrooms, throwing everything that looked silver into her duffle. Making her way downstairs, Sam seemed to be done at the same time as her and they made their way across the street, over to the church.

Making their way down to the basement, Cordelia grunted, the bag weighing her down ⸻ okay, maybe she threw in a little more than necessary, but to hell with it, she was saving lives.

"We grabbed everything," she voiced to Dean, who was stood by the small fire heater, she handed him the bag, allowing him to throw what she and Sam had collected into the fire. "You think they'll notice, I mean, you come home and, I don't know, look for your fancy silverware and, oh no, it's gone."

"Cordelia," was all that Dean said, but the irritation in his voice was clear, she rolled her eyes.

"Right, more important things to do, sorry," she muttered, sarcasm lacing her tone ⸻ of course this was more important than her quips, but if she didn't make fun of the situation, she'd drown.

Trying to find humour in hunting was the only thing getting her through hunting ⸻ oh, and maybe these two knuckleheads.

Just then, the floorboards creaked from above them, footsteps were heard loudly, reverberating throughout the basement, and sawdust fell on them. Looking up was a mistake, her eyes clamped shut and she groaned, "It's in my eye, oh my fucking Christ it's in my eye."

As she ferociously rubbed at her eyes, Dean slapped her hand away. "You'll scratch it, stop," he grumbled, trying not to sound as if he cared that much.

A small smile pulled at her lips, cute.

Prying her teary eyes open, she grabbed her gun, just as Sam and Dean did. The three raced up the stairs, Dean in the lead. He pushed the basement door open and glanced out of it, seeing no one there.

But he soon lowered his gun as he, and the other two, noticed the lone girl on the pew.

Lori.

Dean gave Sam a shove towards her and gestured his head, silently telling Sam to go to her. The Winchester did just that, allowing Cordelia and Dean to sneak back down to the basement.

After a few minutes, Cordelia leant against the wall, sighing as she did so. She held out the last item to Dean and he murmured a "thanks," as he grabbed a hold of it.

He frowned before a deep breath left his lips. "Cordelia, the hell is this?"

She shrugged, looking down at the item as Dean gave her a pointed stare, "I don't know, some kind of medieval tray or something."

"It's aluminium," his knuckle rasped against it, a sarcastic smile painted on his lips.

Cordelia blinked, "Oh."

"Oh," he mocked, dropping it to the floor with a small clank. Just then, a loud bang erupted from upstairs. Dean looked up at the ceiling and back down over at Cordelia. "Any chance they're just banging up there?"

"Probably not," Cordelia dismissed, grabbing her gun she headed up the stairs, two steps at a time. As they made their way out into the hall, Cordelia motioned for them to split up, and they did so.

As she headed down the hall, a loud crash was heard, and she headed towards it. With her gun raised out in front of her, she took small steps towards the room where the noise was and pushed the door open, finding Lori and Sam on the ground. Before she could say anything, her body shot across the room, front hitting a display ⸻ making all the items atop it come crashing down on her.

She groaned as she felt a shard of glass lodge in her shoulder and her gun fell from her grip, her eyes flitted over to Sam, watching as he struggled to a stand and went to grab her gun.

Turning her body, the Hook Man was in front of her but then, luckily, Dean's voice called out. "Sam, drop!"

The Winchester did just that, he dropped to the floor beside Cordelia and just as Dean pulled the trigger, the Hook Man disappeared.

"I thought we got all the silver?!" Cordelia exclaimed in a pant, chest heaving up and down as she gripped the glass and tugged it out with gritted teeth.

I know, she was not supposed to do that, but it would get in the way.

"So did I," Dean shot back, lowering his gun, and taking a cautious glance over at the brunette, who held a hand over her wound.

"Why is he still here?!" Sam yelled out, looking around the room in confusion.

"Well, maybe we missed something!" Dean yelled back.

Cordelia pushed her body up and eyed the necklace that hung around Lori's neck, "Lori, is that necklace silver?"

"Yeah, my father gave it to me," the Sorenson girl replied, obvious tremor in her voice.

"Where'd your Dad get it?"

"He said it was a church heirloom, he gave it to me when I started school," she rushed out, confusion lacing her tone as well as fear.

Cordelia didn't need to hear more before she reached out and yanked the chain from around her neck. As she fisted the necklace in hand and moved off to go burn it, an eerie scratch was heard.

Everyone's head whirled around at the noise, across the hall, a long scratch mark was being etched into the wall. The Hook Man was invisible, great.

Cordelia decided to take her chances.

"Sam!" she called out, gaining his attention, she slid her gun over to him and made a run for it.

Her shoulder stung as she moved around, but she pushed back the agonizing pain and pulled the basement door open. Running down the stairs, she finally made it into the basement and pulled the fire heater open, which was still lit. Without another thought, she threw the necklace into it, watching as it slowly melted down.

And when I say slowly, I mean, slowly.

Her breathing was heavy as she watched it melt, taking this opportunity, she searched the basement for a cloth or some kind of material to wrap around her shoulder.

Finally, she found something, probably not hygienic, but it'd do for now. As she attempted to wrap the cloth around her arm, her eyes flitted over to the heater, finding the necklace completely melted down.

With a jagged breath, she made her way up the stairs and was about to pull open the door when she was welcomed by the sight of Dean.

"Tell me we got it this time," she breathed out, chest heaving up and down in exhaustion.

♰

"Always gettin' your ass kicked, aren't you?" Dean's teasing voice was heard, Cordelia looked up from where she sat in the ambulance as her shoulder was being wrapped up.

"Bite me," she muttered before a small smile pulled at her lips in direction of the paramedic, "thanks," she said, watching as he nodded before heading over to tend to Sam's wounds.

"How you feelin'?" Dean asked, taking the seat beside her, eyes flitting down to the wrap on her arm.

"Like someone stabbed me," she muttered, trying to shrug her jacket back onto her shoulder ⸻ due to her obvious struggle, Dean reached out and grabbed the jacket.

"Here," he mumbled, helping her pull it on.

"Thanks," she whispered, eyeing him weirdly.

Everything that happened in that last case, with the shifter, made her question Dean, but she came to realise something.

If he didn't trust her, she wouldn't be here, she'd be off trying to find Jess' killer alone. If he didn't trust her, he wouldn't want her near him or Sam, and besides, he didn't give her any indication that he didn't trust her.

He patched her up, she patched him up, they all stayed in the same Bates-looking motel, they ate together, laughed together ⸻ it was fine.

Just then, before either could say anything, the Sheriff walked over, he nodded in greeting before getting down to business. "Just spoke to your brother, said that it was some guy with a hook... you saw him too?"

"Yes, like he said. We all saw him," Dean began to say. "We fought him off, and then he ran off."

"And that's all?"

"That's all," Cordelia spoke up with a nod of her head.

"Listen, you, your brother..." he began to say, eyes flitting down to the Moore, "whoever the hell she is-"

"Oh, don't worry. We're leaving town," Dean dismissed what he assumed to be a warning, attitude laced his tone. "C'mon," he mumbled to Cordelia, holding a hand out to pull her up from the perch of the ambulance.

As they began to walk to the Impala, Cordelia cast a look back at the Sheriff and furrowed her brows, "Why'd he say it like that?"

"What?" Dean questioned, pulling the car door open, an amused look on his face as Cordelia got into the front.

"The Sheriff," she said, looking around before lowering herself into the passenger seat. "This whole town has been looking at me like I'm some kind of skank."

"You kind of are," Dean shrugged, angling his head towards her with a grin.

Cordelia pursed her lips and thought before shrugging. "Fair enough," she muttered, eyes focused on Sam and Lori.

Dean followed her eye line and a teasing smirk pulled at his lips, "Think they'll kiss?"

Cordelia watched Sam carefully, "No. He's still thinking about Jess... You know, he was gonna propose, I helped him pick out a ring and everything."

Dean's eyebrows raised in surprise, but before he could say anything, Sam was stood by the passenger side, a glare accompanying his face.

"Move."

"No. I got here first," she shot back, Sam's eyes dragged over to Dean, looking for some help, but the older Winchester merely shrugged.

Sam sighed and grumpily got into the back.

"Yeah, that's right, sit your ass down," Cordelia crooned, a wide grin on her lips.

"Bite me."

Author's Note!
CHRISTMAS DAY UPDATE: MERRY FUCKING CHRISTMAS AND OMG EASTENDERS WAS SO GOOD WTF??!!!

im so violently hungover that the thought of even editing this makes me wanna throw up even more than I already have 😀 so NOT EDITED

but if you're off out tonight I hope you all get absolutely fucking pisssssssssed HAPPY NEE YEARS??

ALSO i rewatched the ghostfacers ep and decided theyre gonna swear a lot more because, not being funny, but doing this job you'd swear a fucking lot