Heading to Ohio {tag Sam, Li}

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

The Impala. Otherwise known as 'home'.

It didn't matter what the circumatances were, whether they were driving away from the cops, aimlessly eating up the blacktop on their way to finding the next hunt, or putting pedal to metal to get someone to a hospital, Dean always felt safe and (for the most part) relaxed in his baby. Now was no different.

He'd been driving pretty much non-stop for most of the day, eager to get as close to Ohio as possible before having to stop for the night and check into a motel. Driving long hours didn't really bother him, it was a good chance to kick back and put things into perspective. The constant hum of the engine worked wonders at drowning out the screams in his head, made it easier to be himself. Add to that a little classic rock and Dean felt practically normal again.

Currently, he was listening to the guitar riffs in the middle of Ted Nugent's Stranglehold, drumming his fingertips on the outside of the steering wheel without really thinking too much about it. Beside him, riding shotgun, was Sam who was equally used to being cooped up in the car for long periods at a time. A wonder with such long legs as his. Annali was in the back seat which made the whole problem of the curse virtually non-existant while they were on the road. There was no way she could get too far away from him to trigger the curse unless she opened the door and threw herself out. Somehow Dean didn't think that was very likely.

"So how long have you known this Greg guy?" Dean said over his shoulder, tone conversational, reserving judgement as best he could until he actually met the man.

[The Preceptor]

While most people might actually argue for the chance to ride up front with the driver, Annali was glad to have the roomy back seat to herself. She had her seatbelt on but had twisted herself sideways, stretching her long legs across the leather seat. The ride had been quiet so far conversationally, but Dean sure seemed to like his music. Annali sang along to the bits that she knew, though she did so rather quietly. She wasn't exactly a great singer.

"So how long have you known this Greg guy?" Dean said over his shoulder, tone conversational, reserving judgement as best he could until he actually met the man.

"Since high school," she told him. "He was a friend of Kelli's, in her year. She set me up to go to his prom with him and we dated for a few months after that," she said, wiggling her toes back and forth to the rhythm of the song. She had pushed her shoes off onto the floor so as not to get dirt or grass on his interior... it had been apparent to her the moment she got in that the upkeep of the car was important to him. She stared at the swirly blue and white cloud-like pattern on her socks as she spoke.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

Dean nodded his head in response, pretending to find the information interesting when what he really wanted to know was whether or not the guy they were driving to meet was another hunter or not.

He supposed that if Annali hadn't talked to him in a while, she might not know, but on the other hand, he figured asking a few background questions about Greg wouldn't do any harm. At least he'd be able to get a better sense of the man, gain the advantage as it were before being introduced.

"What's he do for a living now?" He asked casually, observing her mouthing along to the lyrics in the back seat. That made him smile, knowing she enjoyed his taste in music. He had pegged her for a Shania Twain kind of girl to begin with.

[Sam Winchester (NPC)]

Sam

Sam sat in the passenger seat as usual as they made their way to Ohio. The familiarity of being back out on the road felt good. With everything that had happened at Annali's house he had let the quest for the colt slip to the back of his mind. Now he had two major cases that he had to research. Finding the colt was important they needed it to fight what was coming. Breaking the curse, well that was obvious it seemed Dean and Annali couldn't live like this forever.

With his laptop out Sam stayed quiet pulling up web pages trying to find information on either of the two items. He was vaguely aware of the conversation between Dean and Annali but wasn't really paying attention. He was just focused on his laptop.

At the moment he was looking up Toledo, Ohio. That's where Castiel had told them to go to search for the colt. He was scouring the newspapers and news stories from the area. Looking up anything that might be out of the ordinary from that last several months.

[The Preceptor]

At first, Annali didn't answer. She found it curious that Dean was suddenly so curious about Greg... asking so many questions and trying to seem completely nonchalant about it. It just seemed awkward to her, really. And then it dawned on her... it was so obvious, she couldn't believe she didn't realize it before! No wonder Dean had pulled away from those first few touches. No wonder he acted like it was no big deal to be in the same room while she showered or to share the bed with her the night before...

Removing her seatbelt, Annali sat up and scooted to the middle of the back seat so that she could lean forward and feel a bit closer to the brothers while she talked to them. She looked at Dean with gentle concern in her eyes, genuinely feeling bad that she was going to have to let him down. "Dean um..." she said hesitantly, pausing for a moment to chew on her bottom lip. "I'm sorry but Greg's uh... he likes girls..."

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

"Uh...and?" Dean frowned, utterly bewildered with how Annali had answered the question of what Greg did for a living. He gave her a sideways glance when she moved closer to the front seat, unsure what she was getting at until he heard and saw Sam trying to stiffle a snigger.

Then the penny dropped.

"What?! No! No, no, no, I'm not...." He couldn't even bring himself to finish the sentance, too stunned by her insinuation to do so. He shook his head resolutely, wanting to make it perfectly clear what team he batted for.

"I like girls too!" Scowling at his brother, Dean mentally questioned why it was so many people mistook him for being gay. It wasn't like he had any problem with gay people, whatever floated their boat, it was just Dean was not on that particular boat, nor would he ever be.

Maybe I am too butch....?

[Sam Winchester (NPC)]

Sam

Sam was reading a newspaper article from a local Toledo newspaper when he felt Annali move in the backseat. Then she was leaning forward with her head poked through the front seat so she could talk to them easier.

She seemed a bit nervous and that brought a bit of a frown to Sam's face. When she finally came out with it the expression changed drastically. He snorted at bit but was able to stifle most of the laughter. However, he couldn't wipe the amused look off his face. It was just too funny.

Sam looked back and forth between Dean and Annali. Finding it even funnier that Dean hadn't caught on yet. Sam shook his head when his brother finally figured it out and emphatically started asserting the fact they he was not gay. Sam smiled and looked at Annali.

"Don't let him fool you Annali, he's just shy about it."

Sam turned back to his laptop, trying to hold in the giggling like a little girl that wanted to erupt from inside him. He almost felt bad for Dean, but not quite.

[The Preceptor]

Annali's head tilted to the side a bit and she looked at Dean with pity. She gently rested her hand on his shoulder in an attempt to reassure him. "Dean, it's okay," she said, nodding slightly to Sam when he told her that his older brother was just being shy about it. "It's nothing to be embarrassed about. I mean these days it's perfectly socially acceptable, and I don't think any less of you."

She gave him a small smile in the rearview mirror, but her stomach was turning a little. She wasn't sure if it was because of relief or disappointment. If Dean was gay it meant she could relax and not worry about awkward situations between them. But it also meant that there would be zero chance of any sort of romantic connection. Of course, at this point, she wasn't exactly gunning for romance with the guy, but she did feel a bit of disappointment at the idea that the personal intimacy she felt with him the night before was completely one-sided.

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

"Don't let him fool you Annali, he's just shy about it."

Dean instantly snapped his head in Sam's direction, and if looks could kill, Sam would be as dead as a door nail right about now. This was probably payback for all the times Dean embarrassed him in public, like the time he told the hotel owner Sam had a collection of dolls that he liked to dress up in teeny tiny outfits just so they could get access to her collection to check for supernatural activity. Or the time they were looking into Christmas wreaths and Dean made it sound like Sam was really into that stuff, so much so he got snarky comments from the store owner they were interviewing.

"Hey, I'm not shy about anything, okay." Dean replied almost immediately, adding onto the end when he realised that wasn't a denial.

"Dude?! Quit winding her up!" He growled, back handing Sam in the upper arm to make it obvious that he wasn't pleased. When Annali tried to reassure him that admitting his sexuality was perfectly okay, Dean gave her the most appauled look he could muster.

"He's kidding y'know. Sam! Tell her you're kidding!"

[Wil Marsh]

-ALBANY, NEW YORK-

Greg sat at a small, round table in a Starbucks, his laptop open in front of him as he sipped a grande mocha latte. Every time he took a sip he grimaced. He wasn't a fan of Starbucks coffee, but at the moment the place had a certain appeal.

Complimentary Wi-Fi access.

Greg was surfing the 'net, searching for a few different things. African voodoo, haunted objects, demons, telekinesis, and ancient artifacts.

Anybody who happened to look over his shoulder could assume he was doing a research paper on folklore or cultural mythology and urban legends. They could also assume he was some sort of weirdo. Either way, he didn't much care as long as they left him alone. Five hours of driving to New York hadn't served him well. He was tired and run-down and he looked it.

But he wasn't just tracking something potentially nasty anymore. He was helping Annali and he had no idea what the long-term effects of this curse would be. He needed to get to Ohio as quickly as possible and find out as much information as he could on the way.

"I could die!" she had said.

[/color]

Although he had promised her that wouldn't happen, it kept repeating over and over in his head. She could die she could die she could die...

Scrolling down the page open on his computer screen, Greg stopped and re-read a particularly lengthy paragraph. He grabbed a napkin from the small pile in the middle of the table and dug around in his jacket pocket for a pen. He jotted down a quick bit of information:[/color][/i]

Curse Stone: Celtic particle stone w/ power to curse; ex.: turn the stone 3 times & say name of person to be cursed.

It wasn't much to go on, but it was a start. If he could figure out exactly what the locket was made of, he could figure out if some sort of curse stone type of thing had been made into a pretty piece of jewelry. He also jotted down a few notes about voodoo and Egyptian rituals and punishments.

He finished his coffee, tossing the cup into a trash bin. Greg closed the laptop and folded it under his arm before heading out to his car.

He was greeted by the Foo Fighters blaring from the speakers. He jumped, startled.

"Jesus!" he said, though he didn't hear it over the music.

Long road to ruin there in your eyes
under the cold street lights
No tomorrow
No dead end in sight...

Greg leaned forward to turn down the radio and noticed a piece of paper stuck between the windshield and one of the wipers. He got out of the car to pluck it free, unfolding it as he crawled back into the driver's seat. He read the long, slanted letters written in Sharpie.

Your taste in music sucks.

Greg stared down at it for a moment, his tired brain trying to make sense of this little message. He quickly pressed the eject button beside the CD tray in his stereo. Nothing came out.[/i]

"What the hell?" he muttered.

He sighed. He didn't have time to track down a missing CD. He'd taken a break, had his coffee, and done his research. It was time to get back on the road.[/color][/i]

[Sam Winchester (NPC)]

Sam

Sam just couldn't hold it in anymore and started laughing loudly.He couldn't read the article any more so he shut the laptop and put it back in his bag for now. Still chuckling he looked over at Dean.

"Dude, maybe she just has a sense for these things."

Smirking Sam just gazed out the window for a bit. Not quite ready to let Dean off the hook yet. A few moments of payback for all the times Dean put him in that situation. Well, and there was that one time with the couples counseling... Sam thought with another chuckle.

Turning to look at Annali he smiled at her and gave her a wink. He just didn't really have the heart to let her keep thinking that. For some reason Dean really liked her and he just couldn't do that to him.

"You don't really think Dean's gay do you? Weird, strange, and crazy maybe but gay? No, he's not."

Sam gave Dean a look that said 'Are you happy now?' and returned to gazing out the window as they roared down the highway.

[The Preceptor]

Annali looked back and forth between them, her expression faltering. She could see the look Dean had given her and thought that it might have just been his denial still... like maybe if people knew he was gay, they wouldn't think he was masculine still. But then Sam pleaded Dean's case and her mouth fell open a bit. "Oh..." she muttered, looking away from them both as she sat back in the seat again. She busied herself with getting her seatbelt on, feeling rather foolish about her assumption and a little bit aggravated with Sam for letting her go on as she had. But Annali wasn't one to get worked up over something like that, and certainly not one to hold a grudge.

In her mind, things still didn't quite add up though. "Well, why are you so interested in Greg then?" she asked as she looked up toward the rearview mirror, reaching up to be sure her ponytail was still secure. "I mean... I think the last person who interrogated me about a guy was my father..."

[ZZZ - Dean - RETIRED]

"You don't really think Dean's gay do you? Weird, strange, and crazy maybe but gay? No, he's not."

"Thank you!" Dean huffed loudly as though he really shouldn't have had to gratify Sam for anything. Then he realised he'd just agreed that he was weird, strange and crazy and though most of those descriptions applied at one time or another, he wasn't impressed that Sam had made Annali aware of them. He matched his brother's look with one of his own, patented as the 'you're so dead when this is all over' look. He also made a mental note to stock up on Nair for his revenge plan next time they stopped for essentials. Either that, or he was shaving Sam's eyebrows off in his sleep.

"Well, why are you so interested in Greg then? I mean... I think the last person who interrogated me about a guy was my father..."

"I'm not interrogating you about Greg, I'm just....curious to know who it is we're asking for help that's all. In our line of work, it pays to know who you're dealing with before you actually make any deals. I don't know this guy and from what you've told us about him not sounding too surprised about this curse stuff...I'm thinking maybe he's aware of our line of work and that makes me nervous."

[Sam Winchester (NPC)]

Sam

Sam just smirked and snickered a bit to himself. Listening to Dean and Annali go back and forth. Dean was right. They did need to be careful in their line of work and from the little information they had been able to get from Annali and her side of the phone conversation it sounded like at the very least he was versed in the ways of the supernatural world. Maybe he was a hunter, but they didn't know that.

On the other hand... Sam could tell by Dean's tone that he had different reasons for wanting to know about Greg. Sam just shook his head as he thought about it. He wasn't exactly sure what was going on with his brother, but he definitely had changed since they had met Annali. Whether it had anything to do with this curse or not Sam wasn't sure. But it seemed that Dean liked Annali, a little more than Sam was used to seeing from his brother.

Pulling himself out of his thought he looked over to Dean. Giving him a bit of a smirk. He knew that payback would probably be coming soon.

"Dude, you think maybe we could stop soon. I'm hungry and it would probably be good to get settled for the night."

Sam tried to covertly tilt his head in Annali's direction. Trying to indicate to Dean that she probably wasn't used to being cooped up in a car all this time and would probably be grateful if they stopped soon.

[The Preceptor]

Annali sat in silence, feeling rather foolish about her assumption. And even when Dean went to explain, it felt even worse because, although he wasn't fussing or yelling at her, he still had a very commanding voice when he felt strongly about something and it made her feel intimidated by him. Odd thing to think, considering she was a teacher, but perhaps that was why she taught kindergarten and not kids who were older and required a stronger backbone.

Sam asked Dean if they could stop soon and Annali was grateful. She had been stuck in the backseat for hours with barely even a pit stop. And then she heard her stomach rumble just a little, as if Sam's declaration of 'I'm hungry' had coaxed it to rebel. But she was trying to be a good guest to the two of them, as they had been to her, and she was trying not to complain or ask for too much. Still, she made sure to voice her vote, though she did so with slight hesitation in case Dean was seriously opposed to stopping. "Um... I wouldn't mind that..." she spoke up quietly.