- - - - -
“Wakie, wakie, Kale,” she called in a sing-songy voice. “Sam and I got breakfast. Pancakes, your favorite.”

Kale moaned and turned over, pushing his face into the back of the couch.

“Oh, c’mon. We have to go down to the boys’ room to talk cases. Now, get up and grab the files.”

Kale waved her off and pulled a pillow over his head.

“Fine then. I was gonna be nice and give you some of this aspirin I picked up, but now…” She sauntered over to the back of the couch, leaned over placing her lips above where his ear would be under the pillow and whispered, “I’m done playing nice.”

She pulled as hard as she could on the back of the couch, causing it to topple backwards. Kale rolled off the back end of the couch and onto the floor.

“Ow!”

“I told you to get up.” Riley laughed. Kale was tangled up in the blanket at the foot of the bed. His hair was a mess and he had a light bruise on his nose. He was still in the clothes he was wearing the night before, including his boots. One of them at least. “Looks like someone had fun last night.”

“Oh yeah,” he grunted as he pulled himself off the floor and found his way out of the blanket.

“Here,” she threw the small bottle of aspirin at him. He caught it with one hand and quickly opened it, dispensing two pills. He tossed his head back as he swallowed them.

“Thanks, Rye. Dean’ll probably need those now.” He tossed the bottle back to Riley then slowly turned to get the files. “Here. You can take those”

“Geez, you need to brush your teeth.” She grabbed the files with her left hand as she waved her right in front of her nose for effect. “Seriously, Kale. You do that and I’ll meet you in their room. It’s number 113.”

Kale rolled his eyes and muttered something under his breath as he walked into the bathroom, not bothering to turn on the bright florescent lights.

- - - - -

Sam stepped into the dark room. Not much had changed since he left. Dean was still in the same position only this time the dark stain had grown under his mouth. He set the food down on the table in front of the window and opened the blinds.

“Dude!” Dean called out as the bright light flooded the room. He squinted and shielded some of the light with his arm; sunlight glinted of the surface of the blade he was still firmly holding. “How about a little warning next time.”

“I’ll try to remember that.” Sam set Dean’s coffee down on the nightstand.

“What’s that smell?” Dean sniffed the air, and then took a sip of the warm liquid. “Pancakes? Dude, you got me breakfast in bed! That’s so considerate of you, Sammy”

“Sorry to disappoint you, Dean, but you don’t exactly get to eat it in bed. We’ve got company coming, so get dressed.” Sam took the to-go boxes out of the plastic “Thank You” bag and set them out around the table. He enjoyed the feeling of normalcy this gave him. Finally having a meal at a table that wasn’t located in some bar or diner, even if they were eating with plastic utensils. He heard the bathroom door click shut followed shortly after by a knocking on the door.

“Come in, Riley.” He set out the plastic wrapped sets of plasticware and napkins.

“Wow, you’re really going all out. You’ve set the table and everything.” She pulled out a chair and set the files on the tabletop. “I feel like I’m at the Ritz.”

“Well, it’s not everyday we get to have guests.” Sam laughed as he took a seat next to her. She handed him the manila folder overflowing with newspaper clippings and police files that had been collected over the past few weeks. He started to thumb through the papers. “And it’s even more rare for us to have business meetings.”

Dean emerged from the bathroom in a pair of ripped jeans and a light gray t-shirt, which accentuated his muscular chest. The golden amulet that hung from his neck reflected the light. “Mornin’ Riley,” he winked. He saw a familiar blonde through the window and waved him inside.

“Morning, Dean. I’ve got something for you.” She reached into her jacket pocket and pulled out the aspirin, tossing it his way.

“Thanks,” he took two pills and joined the feasting trio at the table. “So what have we got?”

“There’s only two possible cases that we’ve found nearby,” Kale started with a full mouth; pieces of pancakes stuck to the corners of his mouth. Riley threw him a disapproving look. He swallowed and wiped his mouth with his sleeve before continuing. “That first clipping there. Rye and I think there’s a rawhead in Santa Fe. Numerous children have gone missing all within a five mile radius.”

Sam peered up at Dean from the article. For a split second he could see the pale, sickly face of his brother who’d checked himself out of the hospital after taking 100,000 volts on their last rawhead hunt. “Santa Fe’s kinda far. Is there anything closer?”

“Well, there’s a string of strange deaths in Las Vegas,” Riley answered.

“Oooh, Vegas,” Dean raised his eyebrows. “I vote Vegas.”

Sam rolled his eyes. “How strange?”

“Three victims have died from myocardial infarctions…”

“Heart attack,” Sam told his brother.

“Dude, I know what the medical term for a heart attack is. I’m not an idiot.”

“…with no prior heart conditions.” She continued. “They all had a clean bill of health when they died.”

“The only problem was that they were dead,” Kale chimed in. “So whatdya boys think? Should we hit up Vegas?”

“Heck yes!” Dean cried out before he shoved a forkful of pancakes into his mouth. Sam nodded in agreement. There was no point in arguing with his elder brother. “Do you think we’ll see Grissom?”

“Or Catherine?” Kale joined excitedly. “Mmmm…Catherine.”