The Demon Within

Everybody Loves a Clown

Dean and Sam pulled up to the Roadhouse Saloon in a beat-up, poorly maintained minivan

"This is humiliating. I feel like a friggin' soccer mom!" Dean exclaimed

"It's the only car Bobby had running," Sam told him as they started looking around "Hello? Anybody here?"

They opened the door and went inside.

The saloon was quiet except for a fly buzzing. A light bulb blew out.

They went to the back and saw a man passed out on the bar.

"Hey, buddy?" Dean called out "I'm guessing that isn't Ellen,"

"Yeah." Sam went into the back room, looking around.

Dean went down the steps, then paused as he felt the point of a gun touch his back "Oh god, please let that be a rifle,"

The gun cocked.

"No, I'm just really happy to see you." a blonde girl said "Don't move,"

"Not moving, copy that. You know, you should know something, miss. When you put a rifle on someone, you don't want to put it right against their back. Because it makes it really easy to do..." Dean turned fluidly, grabbing the rifle and cocking it "That,"

The blonde punched Dean in the face and took back the rifle.

Dean doubled over, clutching his nose. "Sam! I need some help here. I can't see, I can't even see," he muttered.

The back door opened to reveal Sam, both hands on his head.

Sam entered slowly "Sorry, Dean, I can't right now. I'm a...little tied up," He nodded his head, indicating the woman behind him, who pointed a handgun at his head.

"Sam? Dean? Winchester?" the woman asked.

"Yeah," the boys said.

"Son of a bitch,"

"Mom, you know these guys?" the blonde asked.

"Yeah, I think these are John Winchester's boys." the woman lowered the gun, laughing "Hey, I'm Ellen. This is my daughter Jo,"

Jo also lowered her rifle, and Dean smiled at her "Hey," Jo greeted

"You're not gonna hit me again, are you?" Dean questioned.

***

Ellen was handing Dean a small towel filled with ice "Here you go,"

"Thanks." Dean said "You called our dad, said you could help. Help with what?"

"Well, the demon, of course. I heard he was closing in on it,"

"What, was there an article in the Demon Hunters Quarterly that I missed? I mean, who, who are you? How do you know about all this?"

"Hey, I just run a saloon. But hunters have been known to pass through now and again. Including your dad a long time ago. John was like family once,"

"Oh yeah? How come he never mentioned you before?"

"You'd have to ask him that,"

"So why exactly do we need your help?"

"Hey, don't do me any favors. Look, if you don't want my help, fine. Don't let the door smack your ass on the way out. But John would have sent you if..." Ellen stopped in realization "He didn't send you."

Dean looked down, then back at Sam

"He's all right, isn't he?"

"No. No, he isn't. It was the demon, we think. It, um, it just got him before he got it, I guess," Sam told her