.: June 7th - Early Evening :.


Earlier evening meant that things outside were not that hot..which is the only reason why she was actually out of the Bon Bon. Sitting on top of a table she stared at the sky, arms folded.

Dean pulled up in front of the shop in a sweet black '66 Mustang, which he bought when he was in Rhydin the first time and had borrowed from Quinn. He pocketed the keys as he got out of the car and spying Katt at the table, sauntered over that way.

That sound was always something that caught attention. Mostly because she was still not use to things that..well..were like cars. Katt's eyes lowered from the sky to watch the shiny black thing parked and Dean spring out of it. Blinking her head slowly tilted to the side and he was watched curiously. "I didn't know you had one of those things.." Was said when he was close enough.

"One of what things?" He followed her gaze toward the car, looking over his shoulder, wondering if she meant the Mustang.

A hand rose up to point at the Mustang as she slipped off of the table. Fixing her vest she leaned to the side just a bit to look around him. "It's shiny."

He smiled, obviously proud of his current 'baby'. "Yeah, isn't she pretty? I just washed and waxed her."

She giggled at him. He sounded like someone else she knew. "Yes 'she' is! You around here just shopping again?" Was that..a teasing hint to her voice?

He shoved his hands in his jacket pockets and stepped aside so she could take a better look at the car. He smiled. "Nah, this time it's a social call. I figure we know each other well enough by now not to make excuses."

She blinked up to him and raised a brow a little. "You never needed to make an excuse. Oh hey! You hungry? I was going to start making dinner soon. Mister Duncan brought me this huge box of beef and steaks and..Well just a lot of meat. I can make hamburgers or something. You can stay and keep me company and we can talk." Seemed like a good idea to her.

His smile widened at the invitation. "I have a weakness for hamburgers."

"I like cheese ones. Oh! And cheesy fries. I had some at this diner..." A broad smile sprung to her lips. "I don't know how to make them but they were awesome!"

"Cheesy fries are awesome, but you know what's even better? Chili cheese fries!" Yes, he was a junk food junkie, if there ever was one and food was a hobby with him. Eating it, anyway.

And she'd give him a look as if he were god. "Chili cheese fries?" It just sounded yummy. "Do you know how to make them?" A sudden grrrRrrrrrRrr made her draw back a bit and a crimson bloomed over her face quickly. "Nhh.." He ..so didn't hear that.

Too late, he had heard it and chuckled. "Yeah, I know how to make them. You hungry?"

"Nh..Pff.." She grumbled quietly. "Yeah a little. Before I was sealed I didn't have to worry about uhm.." She glanced down to her stomach and rubbed it with a palm. "I could go days without eating..So I guess I am trying to adjust.."

He grinned at her, watching her rub her stomach. "You have to make up for lost time then." He felt an odd desire to toss an affectionate arm around her shoulders, but held himself back. "You wanna eat here or go somewhere? I've got wheels."

Her hand shot to the bon bon, gesturing it out. "Here! Remember. I was going to make hamburgers but uh..Maybe .." Her brows furrowed. "I don't know if I have things to make chili cheese fries." Again..just saying it sounded yum!

"Tell you what... Tonight, we'll do burgers and next time, I'll take you out for chili cheese fries. Okay?"

Katt peeked into the trunk, blinking at the weapons but more attention sweep for the first aid help. "Um..Something about a man killing a bunch of people here. Some of them were kids.." Obviously this in itself struck a nerve by the way the frown turned her lips.

Dean swiped away some blood that was dripping from a gash in his cheek and fiddled with the gadget, jerking his head up when she mentioned kids. Why did it always seem to be kids lately? "Awesome." The word obviously meaning just the opposite. "I'm gonna go back inside. I want you to wait here."

Reaching out Katt pressed against the item he was toying with, trying to push it down and out of his attention range. "No way. You are not going back in there! Now where is that first aid kit thingy."

Dean lowered the EMF meter with a sigh and a small frown at her. "Katt, I'm fine. This is what we do, me and Sam."

"I don't care. You aren't getting hurt anymore because of me. I am tired of people I know..getting hurt because of me. So..No. And if you insist on going back in I am going too." Her tone basically screamed 'deal with it'.

"It's not because of you. It's because of that... thing in there. And I'm not letting you go back in there alone and take a chance on you getting hurt!" He sounded just as adamant.

Her hands settled on her hips and she squinted up at him. "Don't worry about that. I'll be fine. I mean I was in there by myself earlier." Sorta..Was in and out but still.

Dean glared down at her from his height, just as stubborn as she was. "You are not going back in there until I say so. Until I'm sure it's safe."

"Why do you care?" She blinked out of her stare and frowned a little at her own words. "I mean..why..? I'll be fine. You know ..partly about my past.." She shifted a little and lowered her eyes from him. "I can ..handle myself."

Dean studied her, knowing what she was thinking because he'd thought it so many times himself. The guilt, the remorse, the self-loathing, the feeling like whatever bad things happened he deserved them. "Stop it."

Katt's brows furrowed and she tilted her eyes to look up at him. A clear set of confusion began to cross her face. "What? I can..You don't need to put yourself in any more danger. Please..."

Dean looked down at her, green eyes meeting hers, noticing the look of confusion and feeling a little confused himself. He paused a moment and then pushed the trunk closed and moved around her to pull the passenger side door open. "Get in. You're hungry, I'm bleeding, and neither of us is going back in there tonight."

"Uh.." Katt glanced at the building but after a moment sighed and moved to the door. Squinting inside she slowly and rather carefully slid into the passanger seat. "Shouldn't I..lock the door at least?"

"I'll get it." Once she was inside, he pushed the door closed, then turned to head back to the building. Once he was close, he turned the EMF meter on, the dials dancing, the meter whining, getting stronger as he got closer.

"Ah! Wait no!" Katt quickly shifted onto her knees in the seat, her hands flattening against the glass. "Dean!" She whined at the glass window, squinting as she watched him get closer to the building.

Dean stuck his hand inside, just long enough to lock the door and pull it shut, just barely missing whatever came flying across the room and crashing into the door.

He was so damn lucky Katt had no idea how to get out of the car. Her palms flattened, slapping the window. She was going to throw a fit from hell if he went in there that was for sure!

Katt squinted at him as she settled down in her seat, relaxing only after he started his way back to the car. She grumbled as he slid into the driver's seat. Folding her arms she drew her knees to her chest and leaned heavily into the door.

The drive to was silent between them all the way to a cozy little motel that Dean picked out. A room key was purchased and placed in her palm.

Stubborn. That was all he was..Stubborn as hell! He wouldn't allow her to even pay for the room she would be staying in. She was followed to the room marked with a big fat 4 on front. It was as if he was worried she was going to ditch the room.

The parting was done with quiet farewells so not to disturb sleeping patrons of the motel. The door was closed and she flopped into the bed without a second thought. She could concern herself with the cost of fixing the Bon Bon's damage in the morning...

.: June 27th - Early Morning :.

The night went from bad to worse..to worse still.

Bumping into Dean, Quinn, and Quinn's boyfriend had been sorta a surprise but a good thing. She had brought donuts which she was happy to select out only for Dean. He had been helping her out a lot even though he said it was what he and Sam did. He was a good friend to have.

Things went from good to a flop when joking she was not quite use began to come around. Dean, more or less, joking with some girl about her name being that of a stripper's name. She scolded him, asked him if he saw her that way when he said her name, too, was like a stripper. He was joking, of course, she knew that. But others might of heard...

She didn't like the idea that maybe someone thought of her like that, let alone a friend...

When she told him she wasn't mad she hadn't been lying. She wasn't. Embarrassed, sure, but mad? Angry? No..

She left only because she needed to walk and shake off the embarrassed feeling. So she did, enjoying the somewhat cool late afternoon and the crowd of the marketplace. Windows peeked into in search for something particular but not finding what she was looking for.

Before she could pass the fifth shop she was nearly bumped into by Dean, who apparently had been seeking her out. If she had known what he was going to say she wouldn't of stayed...

Even though he held remorse for earlier actions his words sounded like he was trying to be ride of her. As if stating he didn't want to be her friend. She knew why... he didn't want her to get hurt. Bad things happened to those close in his life. Funny..she knew that feeling too. It was something that had her constantly keeping people at bay. So..to a degree she understood but at the same time it hurt..Deeply. What more could she do but put on a smile, fake as it was, and accept his choice? No matter how much it hurt.

The smile crumbled much like the rest of her after she was near the Bon Bon. The door was unlocked, nudged open enough for her to slip in. She thought nothing of it when the door closed and she made her way across the floor. A hand raised, rubbing across her eyes. She grunted at the wet feeling that was smeared. She hadn't even noticed her eyes had watered.

"Really.." she murmured to herself, "What was I expecting..?"

Like she told Mesteno.. The Bon Bon was all she really had. Maybe it was just better that way. People came. People went. It was better to accept that and not dwell on it. Respect their choice. That was what she was suppose to do, right? Or maybe she had just gotten way too soft...

It was easier to be emotionless. To not care. Not get close..

A crash drew her out of her thoughts and she turned her head to stare at the cracked mirror from across the room, shards of glass poking out. Her brows twitched and she looked to the curtained window. Before she could even find it she was bumped against, her body tugging to one side. Small hands grabbed at her own, tugging, imploring. Move. Faster.

Run. The voice was soft, pleading. A child's haunting cry.

She nodded and made her way for the door but before she could reach it she heard the child cry and it was gone.

Thud!

Her body met the door, flattened against it. Yelping at the force that shoved her flat she tilted her hands, trying to shove her way from the door. Whatever force held her suddenly released and she collapsed, gasping. The door was rattled, tugged on, and yanked. It wouldn't open.

She pushed quickly from the door and scrambled for the kitchen. She could go out the back door. Sliding through the break she barely made it past when something grabbed her feet and yanked them out from under her. Her chin met the counter and then the ground with solid sounds. Both hands clamped over her mouth to stop herself from crying out. She had bit her tongue and she tasted..copper. Blood..

A tug. Her hands tore from her mouth to grasp at the ground. Suddenly she found herself being dragged, fingers clawing at the ground as she was pulled across the floor.

SLAM!

The basement door closed and the Bon Bon was silent.

.: June 30th - Late Evening :.

It didn't take Dean long to gather his gear, since most of it was stored in the trunk of the Mustang. He'd searched all of Katt's known haunts and had come up empty. He'd asked around and no one had seen her. He was starting to get worried, and his gut told him something was wrong. There was only one place left he had to look and that was the BonBon Shop.

He'd warned Katt not to go there at night, and he hoped his gut feeling was wrong, but there was only one way to find out. Katt had said the ghost was mostly active at night. There was still a little daylight left, and he was hoping he could get in and out before darkness fell and the ghost became active.

Trying to find out where the ghost's body had been buried had proved fruitless, but Sam was still working on digging up anything he could on the building and the murders that had happened there. He wasn't crazy about the idea of Dean going alone, but Dean had assured him he'd be fine alone and would call if he needed help.

Arriving, he parked the Mustang out front and shoved everything he thought he might need in a backback which he tossed over a shoulder before making his way toward the building. Funny how haunted places often didn't look that way from the outside.

Upon arriving at the front door, he knocked once, hoping maybe his gut feeling was wrong and Katt would answer. "Katt?" he called, knocking again. "It's me. I know you're mad at me, but we need to talk."

Screaming. It surrounded her in the worse possible way. Stirring she tried to move, cover her ears of the haunting sound.

Moaning. Crying. Louder screams.

She had heard these sounds before. Were they haunts from her past?

Clanking. Rattling. She heard these when she tried to move. Tried but couldn't. Her body ached with unfamiliar pain. Was this how mortals felt physical pain? Forcing a eye open the first thing her blurry vision found was a large hole beneath her.

"Nhh..?" She tried to lift her head but found that the rest of her was suspended, nearly upside down, over the hole. A small hole that looked like it was about ready to swallow her up. She tensed up and attempted to grasp some of the chain. A screech left her lungs empty as her body slipped along the chains, catching at the ends and leaving her body like a marionette on tangled strings.

The knocking on the door was answered by a... was that a scream? Dean had heard muffled screams before. He knew what he heard, or what he thought he heard, and didn't waste any time reacting. He felt adrenaline surge through his veins, his gut clenching with fear that she was in danger. He stepped back a pace, leaned back and kicked the door in.

Any movement. Any movement seemed to send her closer and closer to pummeling down into that dark hole. It wasn't the fall that scared her. It was the size of it. The darkness of it. Caught to where her short hair barely nipped the darkness. It was far too close. Close enough to send her breathing short, wheezing. Panicking she stared. "S-Stop..H-Hhhh..H...."

The door flew open, slamming back on its hinges, and Dean dashed inside, swinging the shotgun over his shoulder forward and pumping it full of salt rounds. "Katt?" he called as he moved into the shop.

He stood stock still a moment, straining his ears to listen. He knew he hadn't imagined it. He'd heard someone scream. He'd know that sound anywhere. He moved further into the shop, noting the broken mirrors, the shards of glass scattered across the floor.

It was soft, subtle the way the door to the basement whined. A breeze carrying a number of voices that were not only of children but of women and men. None understandable but in distress none the less. Whines, cries, and screams mingled into one strangeling sound. The sound orginated from below but came loud and clear from the door to fill the commons.

It was drowned compared to what surrounded Katt. She wanted to cover her ears but all she could do was close her eyes, clenching them tight. "S-Stop! STOP! I'm sorry!"

Dean felt a chill up his spine at what he heard, even after countless hunts. The sound seemed to be coming from somewhere below him. The basement? He thought he heard a girl's voice over it all, muffled but distinctly different from the ghostly voices. It had to be Katt. "Katt?" he called again, raising his voice, not wanting to alert the ghost, but wanting her to know he was there. "Where are you?"

Her eyes snapped open. Among the intense wailing she heard..her name..? "Nhh..H-HELP!" She yelped in a breath when her body slid down more along the chains and a flinch caused an eye to close when her arm was caught up at a very uncomfortable angle. It tugged her arm in the wrong direction.

A small touch slithered against Dean's hand. Delicate. Like a small hand attempting to grasp.

Dean clenched his jaw when he heard her scream for help, ready to walk through fire if that's what it took to find her, when he felt what felt like a small hand reach for his. He paused a moment, brows furrowing as he turned toward whoever or whatever was trying to get his attention.

In and out of existence, like a whisper of smoke the vision of a small girl with twin, fluffy pigtails. Her cherub face turned up to Dean as she grasped his hand and pointed the other to the basement door. She released a sorrowful cry.

Dean held the shotgun in one hand and the ghost girl's hand in the other, lifting his head to look where she was pointing. He wasn't quite sure where the door led, but he got the feeling she was trying to lead him to Katt. His lips twitched into a worried frown, and a chill ran his spine at her cry, but he understood what she was trying to tell him. He let go of her hand, balancing the shotgun against one shoulder as he started toward the door.

Dean's hand was released and as if a hard breeze swept through, the little girl was gone but her cry swam by Dean. Leaving a sensation like she had simply ran by him.

Down the stairs was dark and for the most part empty. Impressions on the dusty floor showed a direct path to where she had dropped, tossed, and eventually dragged to her current position. The position in which she still had no idea how she got into but one thing she knew..if she moved any more she was going to fall. Which in truth wasn't all that hard to do considering the panic attack she was in. Tears began to wet her lashes, afraid to move her head to even look. "Phhh..p..."

He pulled open the door and peered down the stairs. "Katt, are you down there?" he called again, wanting to make sure he was headed in the right direction and it wasn't a trap. Regardless, he didn't wait for her to answer, but started down the stairs, taking them carefully, one at a time. Whatever daylight had been left when he got there had quickly faded, moonlight streaming through the basement windows the only light.

Katt blinked slowly when the wailing suddenly ceased, leaving her in a blanket of silence that was far too heavy. Then shattered by a single voice. "D-Dean?" That..surprised her and it cracked her tone. "D-Dean help! I..d..du..don't want to fall.." Her chest felt like something was sitting on it and she tried to breath. She figured it just for panicking.

The sound of her voice stopped his heart for a moment, hearing the fear and panic in her voice, he took the remaining stairs two at a time, quickly bounding down them to come to her rescue. Once he reached the bottom, he paused a moment to let his eyes adjust to the darkness and to look around and survey the scene.

Dean would find himself facing a wall and her voice coming from the wall to his left.

That..was Dean she heard right? Even if he was there to get rid of the ghost he wouldn't just...let her fall. Her eyes clenched tight, a stinging sensation she was trying to get rid of. "G-Go away! Get out of here, Dean!" She choked the words out before she even realized it.

Dean turned, following the sound of her voice, audibly gasping when he saw her dangling there, blood dripping from cuts and scrapes and who knew what other wounds. He didn't waste any time, ignoring her warning, slinging the shotgun back over a shoulder as he rushed to her side. "Jesus Christ, Katt, what the hell happened?"

Her muscles jerked, making her shake to the point that the chains rattled around her. She didn't want to think about falling so just concentrated. He sounded..closer. "Nnh...S..stop.."

Dean skidded to a halt when he noticed the dark hole she was precariously hanging over, muttering several choice words as he quickly assessed the situation, his gaze moving from the hole upwards to try and quickly determine just how she was being suspended there.

His heart sank at seeing her like that, bloodied and terrified, feeling at least partly to blame for it, but there was no time for that now. What was important at the moment was getting her out of that mess. "Katt, just..." He gentled his voice, trying to sound calm and reassuring. "Just hold still, okay? I'm gonna get you outta there."

The chains were latched to the ceiling above by metal loop-ends. Probably used to lower or bring up items from the hole and whatever area was down there. They looped in various patterns and tangled around her, none biting but also none really holding either.

And kill the sonofabitch that did this, he thought to himself, gritting his teeth as he reached to pull her toward him.

Katt could barely make out the dark figure that came barreling in when her eyes opened and she tensed up sharply. "Ghh..G-Get away.."

Dean's arms going around her waist and tugging her close, careful not to get her neck or arms twisted further in the chains.

Katt instantly yelped when grabbed and one hand went to grab whatever part of his shirt she could afford to grab. As if her not falling was exactly what she did not want. Her legs slid free once she was sure she wasn't going to fall and she squirmed in attempt to be free of the twisting chains. Her other arm and neck would take some doing but she was sure trying to be rid of the chains as quickly as possible.

He wrapped an arm around her waist, letting her cling to him and grab onto him as much as she wanted, while he reached to untangle and free her other arm from the chains and very carefully reach down to cradle her head and pull her free from the tangled mess.

Katt turned sharply into him once completely freed and her arms wrapped around his neck. She sobbed, hugging tightly. "Get away from it..Get away!"

Dean lifted her out of the tangle of chains, cradling her against him in his arms like a child. There was no time to ask questions or to comfort and console. He just wanted to get her out of there as quickly as possible, and he stepped away from the black hole and turned on a boot heel to start back toward the stairs, anxious to get her the hell out of there.

A pick up of a howling cries broke the air but one stood out.

A child's whining.

Katt sighed quietly, her body relaxing. Slowly her arms slid down from his shoulders but her hands lowered. Turning her palms it was slow but precise. Slow until the moment her hands were positioned and suddenly attempt to grasp around his throat. Thumbs pressed into the center of his throat she squeezed as if trying to squeeze the life out of him.

Not expecting her to attack him, Dean was taken completely offguard and stumbled to his knees, dropping her to the floor, his hands reaching to try and pry her fingers from around his throat, eyes wide with horror. He tried to call her name, but it only came out a hoarse croak, chest aching as he tried to gasp for breath and found his windpipe cut off.

Katt's legs stretched when he released her, feet hitting the ground to provide her position over him. Nails bit against his flesh as she finally opened her eyes and stared at him hollowly. There was a strange little grin crooking her lips. As if the grin didn't quite belong to her. "I told you to get out. Now you are going to die like the rest of them."

She didn't have the strength she once held so it wouldn't take terribly much for him to pry her hands away but she sure was trying to keep hold.

Dean slowly pried her fingers from his throat, not really wanting to hurt her but having no choice if he wanted to live and get her out of there alive. How the hell did you exorcise a ghost? It wasn't the same thing as a demon. He suddenly wished he'd brought Sam with him.

He couldn't shoot her either. All he could do was try to piss the ghost off enough that it would leave her alone and go after him. Either that or escape but that would mean leaving her behind.

"K-Katt..." He held onto her hands tightly, looking into her eyes, trying to appeal to the woman that was still in there somewhere. "You have to fight it."

Her teeth snapped when he held her hands, keeping them from her target. Her eyes narrowed, glaring up at him. Slowly the expression softened. "D..Dean..s....stop me..Please.." Her face twisted up. "Don't let..Don't let it make me hurt you. Please.."

They argued. He didn't want to allow her back in. He wanted to take her to the hospital where her wounds could be treated. She wasn't really all that bad off. Aside from the few bruised ribs and bruises...and the shots of salt rounds in her chest, she was fine. The one thing she did know was she didn't want him to go back in alone.

It was her building, damn it! Her rules! So why was he fighting her on it? Sure ..he had experiences with ghosts before. Fine and dandy..but that didn't mean she wanted him going in there alone and possibly getting hurt.

And then he kissed her. Probably to shut her up and the act had thrown her off enough that it left her surprised. At the same time it sent her into a massive panic. She cared for Dean a lot but not in the way he might of wanted. Or maybe she had read wrong into the simple action. She didn't know...

And it terrified her...

In the end she had found herself too exhausted to fight him on the ordeal of the Bon Bon. He made her agree to stay away from the Bon Bon until he was done and in return he promised to take Sam with him. That was good enough for her. Even if she hated promises. She hated the word..hated that she was suppose to trust them. Promises were nothing but pretty lies.

Tucked into the car she watched the world as he drove, her forehead planted softly against the glass. It was the only thing really keeping her from panicking inside the closed off interior of the mustang. That and she was probably far too tired. She didn't even flinch when it had been started.

There was a lot on her mind.

Even when they reached the loft that he and Sam were staying at she was terribly quiet.

She needed to set things straight before he thought something he shouldn't. She hated the thought of hurting him..hurting someone else she cared for....

...again....