(1) When We Collide (T. Stark)

Chapter Three

"There has to be something, Jarvis, buddy, give me something" Tony tells him throwing the stress ball into his other hand and twirling slightly on one foot. "An address?"

"No fixed address" Jarvis tells him. "As I have told you, every week for the last 3 months"

"You never know" Tony points out. "What about the face trace?" he asks.

"Nothing" Jarvis answers. Tony sighs and drops into his chair.

"It's like she just....poof" Tony comments and rubs at his eyes. "Hmmm next step" he mumbles.

"You have a meeting with Mr. Stane in half an hour" Jarvis remind him, Tony blows a raspberry and stands.

"Keep the face trace open" he warns Jarvis and then leaves the study.

............

May 2006:

Sam frowns a little watching Spencer sleep between him and Dean, her fingers clutching to Sam's sleeve, Dean had explained that it's the only way she sleeps now, clutching to someone, usually it's Dean, sometimes John....Sam is just the one getting it today. Spencer jerks awake looking around alarmed. Sam touches her shoulder and she snaps her hand up to grab his wrist.

"It's me" Sam assures her. "Spence" he whispers, she breathes heavily and releases his wrist.

"I'm sorry" she if quick to tell him trying to get her breathing under control. "I'm sorry" Dean glances to her.

"You're not having....dreams now are you?" he asks, Sam shoots him a look. This is Dean referencing Sam's new and insane prophetic dreams. And Spencer has seen them both watching her, waiting, Dean to see if she's gong mad too and Sam to assure himself he's not going mad.

"No" she answers. "It was...weird but it wasn't..." she motions to Sam. "Weird" Sam shoots her a look too now. "Just a run of the mile nightmare" she settles back into her seat, her fingers reaching for Sam, he holds out his hand and she takes it.

"Are you sure?" Dean asks. She nods.

"Yep....was that werewolf hunt a coupla' years back that had me on my ass for weeks" she admits. Dean snorts and nods.

"Well not on your ass" He teases, Spencer clips him around the back of his head as he chuckles.

"What happened?" Sam asks.

"I got clawed" Spencer admits, Dean smirks wider. "On the ass" she adds. "I couldn't sit right for weeks" Sam bites his lip. "Laugh it up, Hardy boys" she scolds but is smiling, she leans against Sam who smiles. Their relationship is getting back on track after the awkward start. She's talking to him again. She's laughing with him again. She's his sister again. "How far out are we?" she asks. Sam glances to the map in his lap.

"Urm....a few hours" he answers.

"What sort of name is Hibbing anyway?" she grumbles turning on the radio.

................

In a bar called: Kugel's Keg, Sam sits at a table with Spencer, the two of them looking over their research for the hunt, it's part of why they bonded again, their love of research. Spencer usually gets there faster then her brothers given her IQ and how long she's been doing this but every now and then she lets Sam have one. Dean is nearby, throwing darts.

"So, local police have now ruled out foul play. Apparently, there are worse signs of a struggle" Sam tells Dean.

"Well, they could be right, it could just be a kidnapping. Maybe this isn't our kind of gig" Dean offers them both.

"Yeah, maybe not. Except for this—Dad marked the area, Dean" Spencer points out. Dean moves over to the table and looks at their father's journal in front of Spencer. "Possible hunting grounds of a phantom attacker"

"Why would he even do that?"

"Well, he found a lot of local folklore about a dark figure that comes out at night" Spencer answers. "Grabs people, then vanishes. He found this too—this county has more missing persons per capita than anywhere else in the state"

"That is weird" Dean agrees.

"Yeah" Sam nods.

"Don't phantom attackers usually snatch people from their beds? Jenkins was taken from a parking lot" Dean asks them.

"Well, there are all kinds. You know, Spring Heeled Jacks, phantom gassers. They take people anywhere, anytime. Look, Dean, I don't know if this is our kind of gig either" Sam answers.

"Yeah, you're right, we should ask around more tomorrow"

"Right" Spencer stands pulling on her jacket. "I saw a motel about five miles back"

"Whoa, whoa, easy. Let's have another round" Dean corrects looking at her.

"We should get an early start" She argues, Dean smirks.

"Yeah, you really know how to have fun, don't you, Grandma?" she shoots him a look and smile. "Alright, I'll meet you outside, I gotta take a leak" Dean grabs his coat and heads to the bathroom. Sam sighs and stands.

"Now I have to go too" he complains and follows Dean, Spencer chuckles a little as she gathers the research and leaves.

................

Outside the bar, Spencer is walking back to the car when she hears a noise and stops. She glances around a little and then places the journal on the hood of the car and takes out a flashlight from her coat pocket. She turns it on and uses it to look around again, He turns it on and looks around, then bends down to look under the car. She sees a cat, which hisses at her then runs away.

"Whoa!" She sees the animal and laughs at herself as she gets up, shaking her head, then waits by the car.

................

Minutes later, Dean and Sam leave the bar laughing, Dean pats Sam's shoulder. They both note that Spencer is not stood at the car waiting for them, Dean notices the journal on the hood. Sam opens the car door and checks to see if Spencer is inside, but she isn't there. He looks around, confused. He and Dean share a look. Spencer doesn't wander off. Dean looks around as a group of people come out of the bar. Dean walks up to a biker and his girlfriend, who are clearly drunk.

"Hey, you guys been outside, around here in the last hour or so?" he asks. they shake their head and walk away. "Spencer!" Dean shouts as he looks around frantically.

"Spence!" Sam shouts, he turns around and notices a surveillance camera on top of a streetlight. Dean walks into the middle of the deserted road and looks around.

"Spencer" he whispers and shares a look with Sam.