They headed out to Blackwater Ridge together in search of John. The trio moved through the forest with a group of victims who had lost their family members within the dense wilderness. Allie stayed with Sam while Dean hung back and flirted with the woman who had lost her brother to the forest. If there was one skill that Dean didn't quite have it was patience. The forest was quiet aside from birds chirping in serene trees- but this was no nature walk. No peaceful jog among the pretty deer and pocketed flowers. This was akin to the Appalachian Trail.

Allie kept a hushed tone while she spoke with Sam. "She's not gonna' hit it," She joked with a small smile. "Trust me. He's striking out," She wanted to be close to Sam. She wanted to be his friend. It hadn't been long since Jessica had passed and Alice understood grief like the back of her goddamn hand. Unfortunately, her short life hadn't been kind in terms of her trauma. God never helped her. The beaded rosary that hung from her neck was particularly routed there as a device to be used, not for religious intentions of her own belief. God had forgotten about her a long time ago. "I don't think he knows what subtle is."

Sam released a soft chuckle at Allie's bluntness, a small smile managed to weave its way across his features. "I know," he replied quietly, nodding in agreement as they continued to follow the trail left behind by their congregation. Dean had always been quite... forward with women, never really understanding the art of subtlety or boundaries sometimes. When they had been teens it did cause some problems. Mainly due to Dean's inability to keep his mouth shut, but that had always been a part of his older brother's personality.

"Thanks for being here," he murmured, glancing over at her briefly before returning his focus back to the ground ahead of them. It was difficult to focus. He was both intensely determined about the hunt considering his father had been there and yet also disappointed that their family was not yet reunited. Although he wanted to help these people he couldn't help but feel like they were prolonging things by being there.

Allie didn't know whether to joke or open up with Sam. He was angry. It was clear in his words and actions. Plus, she could tell Dean was a bit worried about him.

She elected to not be like Dean and instead became open and empathetic. "You know... I found Bobby after my mother died. I didn't have any family. No siblings and raised by a single parent. I hoped finding my father would help." She trailed off, making an impulsive decision to omit her relationship with Ryan. Her vulnerability only went so far and although she'd known Sam for a few months... no. She wasn't ready.

"He was hard to find though. Anyway, after my mom I was... so fucking angry. I remember I felt guilty because I didn't cry. Not for... months." She clasped her hands in front of her. "We're going to find your dad, Sam- and the monster that killed your mother. They'll pay for what they did." The offering was genuine. Dean and Bobby meant a hell of a lot to her. 

That meant Sam meant a lot to her as well. By association. Maybe soon it would be more.

Sam glanced over at Allie, surprised by her openness. She was usually so full of life and energy, always trying to lighten the mood with a joke or a flirtatious comment. But now she stood there, shoulders slumped slightly, eyes filled with empathy and understanding. He felt an unexpected surge of gratitude towards her; it was nice not being alone in his grief for once. Dean did try and talk about it at times but it's not the two ever had much experience in communication with each other. John just hadn't raised them that way and now... they just didn't know how to talk about their feelings. Mainly Dean. Sam wanted someone to talk to. Just for once.

"I know," he said softly, reaching out to squeeze her hand briefly before letting go again. "Thank you."

Their sweet moment was cut short by the sound of something rustling in the trees.

The Wendigo.

Normally Allie wasn't one to be scared but fuck if she wasn't terrified right now. Goosebumps were raised on her arms. She wasn't trained enough for this. It was unlike anything that she had experienced before. Allie was still kind of a newbie. She had only been on live hunts for six months when Sam had come back from Stanford and most of them had been pretty basic due to her imperfections while wielding a gun. A Wendigo? After six months? Fuck. "Sam..." she whispered in a shivering tone. Initially, they believed staying together as a group would help.

It didn't.

There was a large scream and Dean was taken, along with Haley, their newfound ally he had been flirting with. It all happened so fast. In seconds they were long gone.

Sam's heart raced as he heard the rustling in the trees, adrenaline surging through him with intensity. Suddenly the training from his youth came rushing back to him in a wave of resented nostalgia and he tightened his grip on Allie's hand, pulling her closer to him for safety. "It's okay," he whispered reassuringly, trying to sound more confident than he actually felt.

But it wasn't enough; they were outmatched and surrounded by thick foliage that made visibility nearly impossible. The scream cut through the eerie silence of the forest, sending a chill down his spine. No birds could be heard, no animals. Just tense quiet.

Dean felt the ground beneath him shift as he was yanked off his feet, a sickening cracking sound echoing through the forest. He looked down just in time to see branches and stems snapping like twiggy matchsticks around Haley's ankles before she too disappeared into the darkness above them.

"Allie!" His voice came out hoarse with fear as he struggled futilely against whatever had grabbed him. "Run! Get Sam out of here!" Cuts formed over his dry, slightly scarred skin and the dragging forced tears into his clothing. Dean Winchester didn't often get scared, at least not outwardly but holy fucking shit his heart was pounding in his ear canals. The last thing he saw was her wide-eyed terror before everything went black.

The forest stilled. Within seconds everything had become quiet again, almost like nothing had happened at all.

She looked at what was left of their small team. "Sam, get these people out of here. I'm going after Dean." Was it dumb to do it alone? Yes. Did she care? No. Dean was her friend. He needed her. His danger was her motivation despite her own fear of what lay waiting just beyond the cusp of their view. Horror movies always take place in the dark. It was broad daylight. That alone was unsettling.

Despite how frightened she was she got her gun ready and unsheathed her knife. She knew Dean would lecture her... if she survived.

Sam's heart raced as he watched in horror, helpless to do anything but watch Allie sprint off into the darkness. He turned back to the terrified group of survivors and tried to muster up a reassuring smile. "Everything's going to be okay," his voice cracked slightly, sounding more like a desperate plea than comforting words. "We need to get out of here now!" He yelled, pushing them further into the path with all the strength he had left. They couldn't stay where they were. If it came back they were wide open to be a meal.

But one survivor wouldn't listen. Haley's brother. So, they entered into the forest to join Allie.

Allie crept silently through the underbrush. Freedom came with costs. This was one of them. At times she could be impulsive and slightly reckless when those she cared for were at risk. It was like a switch went off. Normally Allie could be analytical. The blonde was not dumb despite the commonly used phrase but when something bad could happen? Really bad?

She was careful with her movements, attempting to be as quiet as possible before she suddenly heard a tree branch break behind her.

She whirled around with her gun at the ready only to see Sam there with a civilian. Haley's brother. "Sam!" She hissed. "You scared me I almost shot you. What are you doing?! You heard Dean! You should be heading to safety!" Her tone was hushed but firm. Allie was being a hypocrite, though. Dean had said the same thing to her and she didn't listen.

The younger Winchester's heart leaped into his throat as he saw Allie turn around, gun raised and eyes wide with fear. "I couldn't leave him," he whispered back, gesturing to Haley's brother who was trembling behind him. "We need to find Dean and get everyone out of here alive." A pause before Sam continued with hushed urgency. "Allie, we don't know what we're up against-" They stopped at the sight of drag marks leading into an abandoned mine. The provincial park was lined with them. Practically begging for them to be used for nefarious or bloodlust purposes.

Her steps were cautious and slow as they moved through the worn-down mine together. "If something happens to you your brother is going to haunt me for the rest of my life." She tried to joke to ease the tone of their... adventure but her heart was beating rapidly. Yes, Dean and Bobby had been training her but this was... leagues over her head. The further they got the more her heart sounded like a firework on the fourth of July.

They turned a corner and her breath became stuffed and stifled in her throat. Dean and Haley were hung up by their wrists and passed out.

She ran to him and gently caressed his face with delicate fingers. "Dean!" Her tone was a hissed plead. He was alive. She could feel his pulse beneath her muddy fingertips. "Wake up, handsome. We gotta get you down." She tended to her friend while Sam helped Haley.

Dean's eyes fluttered open slowly, his vision blurry and disorientated at first. He groaned softly as he tried to move his aching arms but found himself trapped tightly by a rope that cut into his wrists. "Allie," he managed to croak out hoarsely, relief washing over him when she came into view. So familiar. Like an angel. Her blonde hair looked like a halo due to his blurred eyesight. Not that she ever looked anything but. What a sight for sore eyes.

Allie stood up on her tippy toes to cut him loose from the ropes. When he was released he fell on top of her. Somehow he still seemed to have energy despite the fact he looked like shit. She glanced up from beneath him. "Are you okay?" She didn't push him off, figuring it better to let him catch his breath and orient himself before standing. She reached up and turned his face gently in her hands. He was okay. A bit of blood and scratches but he'd be fine. It was mainly just dirt. He was covered in dirt.

Sam quickly freed Haley, helping her to her feet as she regained consciousness. He glanced over at Dean and Allie, a mix of relief and concern etched on his face. She was small compared to him, and yet it wasn't extremely noticeable due to the way that she held herself. Scared but determined. The sight reminded him of Dean when they were kids sometimes. He never showed weakness. Small but mighty.

"We need to get out of here," he said urgently, scanning their surroundings for any signs of danger. "The Wendigo could come back any minute."

Dean groaned softly as he slowly pushed himself up, wincing at the pain shooting through his body. "Yeah," he rasped out between breaths, helping Allie to her feet before dusting off his jeans and checking for any major injuries.

"Thanks, killer." He said with a weak grin, reaching down to help Haley stand upright. She was shaking uncontrollably in Sam's arms, eyes wide with brief terror.

Allie didn't know why but she felt a certain... jealousy when Dean reached out to help Haley. The same she felt when he had flirted with her earlier. Unspoken. It was a new emotion. Men didn't really cause the green-eyed monster of envy and jealousy to broadcast within her. It was uncomfortable to deal with something so raw and newly conceived. She didn't have feelings for him. Maybe it was possessive in nature? After all, they were... well... best friends now really.

She shook it off. Sam's protests would mean nothing to Dean. Dean would want to kill the Wendigo, she knew that. "Guns aren't going to help. What can we do?"

When Dean found flare guns all three of them grinned.

Watching the Wendigo light up internally minutes later was glorious. Very satisfying. She wrapped an arm around Dean to help him out of the abandoned mine. The walk back to Baby was particularly tense. They hadn't found John and it seemed now they were on a scavenger hunt for him but Allie wouldn't say that. It wouldn't be right.

Dean leaned heavily on Allie's slender frame, grateful for her support as they made their way out of the dark mine. He couldn't help but notice how close she was to him; his body still buzzing with awareness from their brief contact earlier and probably the pain. Definitely the pain. "Thanks," he muttered gruffly when they finally reached the safety of the Impala's interior. "You saved our asses back there," His words were laced with a hint of admiration that surprised even himself. Mentee. She made him damn proud.

Allie turned to look at Sam, a wide grin from Dean's compliment. She winked. "Yeah yeah yeah, try not to fall in love with me," She teased and laid down in the backseat. She had to admit, she felt pretty fuckin' good. Every day she was becoming a better hunter. Everyday. She saved her fucking mentor. Rock on.

"I think this is the best job I've ever had," She lamented. "Well, other than the bowling alley. I smoked so much po-  " She stopped herself. "Anyway."

Sam couldn't help but smile at Allie's teasing, a small corner of his heart warming at the thought that she considered him worthy enough to playfully taunt and include in her mockings towards his brother. He climbed into the driver's seat and started up the Impala, navigating them back towards their safe haven for the night.

"You know," he said after they had been driving in silence for a while, glancing over at her through the rearview mirror, "I heard Disneyland is supposed to be pretty nice this time of year."

Dean snorted, turning to face Sam before looking into the backseat at Allie with a raised eyebrow. What the hell? Disneyland? "Disneyland? Seriously?" He asked incredulously, shaking his head in disbelief. "I mean, don't get me wrong, I could probably find some hot chicks there dressed up as sexy princesses or something," he added, grinning at the thought of it. "But come on, man! We just saved some people from being Wendigo food and you want to go ride Dumbo?"

Allie perked up at the suggestion. "Excuse you. I want to ride Dumbo," Fuck Dean. She didn't care if he judged her. "I wanna ride Splash Mountain like eighty times!" The blonde thrummed her finger on the passenger seat. "Two against one. You lose, Dean. Looks like Sam and I are two peas in a pod." She smiled and nudged Sam's shoulder with her nose before leaning back down into the backseat and crossing her arms over her chest.

He shook his head in mock disbelief, chuckling softly as he leaned back against the passenger seat. "Fine," he relented with a shrug. "But you're paying for everything." He knew it was probably just what they all needed - some time to decompress and forget about demons and monsters even if only for a little while. Besides, there had been something... comforting about having Allie by his side during the hunt; her wit and determination were infectious, reminding him of how much more there was to life than hunting alone. He certainly didn't regret bringing her along for the ride to find their father.

Sam smiled at Allie's enthusiasm, feeling a wash of contentment spread through him as he imagined the three of them together in Disneyland. It seemed like an impossible dream, something so far removed from their usual lives filled with blood and death. But for just a moment, it felt... possible. He glanced over at Dean, who was leaning back against his seat, eyes half-closed as he drifted off to sleep. They had been pushing themselves too hard lately, constantly on edge, always ready for the next fight. Sam had only gotten back into it and he was tired but the need for revenge outweighed all of that. He had to find Jess's killer. 

He had to.